


Petty Larceny

by Haethel



Category: Thief (Video Game 2014), Thief (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 02:52:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1452745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haethel/pseuds/Haethel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erin smiled to herself, rolling the papers again and tucking them into her belt. This was perfect. She'd show Garrett just how good she was. She'd show them all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Usually it was Erin who arrived first at Basso's the night after a job. Garrett rarely stirred before full dark, but she loved the fading bustle of the city streets as shadows gradually crept upward to swallow the streets whole and often set out well before the sun slipped below the horizon.

Unlike Garrett's, Erin's face was still unknown to the Watch, and it was still safe for her to pass in broad daylight provided she kept her eyes cast demurely toward the cobbles. It made traversing the City far easier, but she resented the freedom. It was yet another way in which she would never live up to the Master Thief, who rarely emerged from his beloved shadows even among friends.

It was the work of a moment to pick open the lock on the alley door and slip inside. Basso had never seen any point in giving either of them keys to the place. The pair of lockpicks stashed inside her boot were all the keys she ever needed, and it kept her skills sharp.

Voices drifted from an upstairs room and Erin froze mid-step, turning her head to the side and half-closing her eyes in her effort to hear more clearly. Basso’s deep voice was clearly audible, and the other had to be Garrett. Most likely they were waiting for her, but something about the tone of the voices made her wonder if it was more serious than that. She gently pushed the alley door closed and locked it again, and crept softly to the foot of the stairs to listen.

"It's not working, Basso. I can teach her what I know, but I can't force her to listen to me."

A chair creaked as Basso grunted. Probably Basso's. Garrett usually preferred to perch on the windowsill. "She watches you, even when she don't listen. So show her."

Right on the edge of her hearing, soft footfalls paced back and forth across the floorboards. "It's not that easy."

"Sure it is." There was a thud and the chair creaked again. Probably the front legs hitting the ground as Basso leaned forward.

"She rushes ahead … she never thinks. Last night she didn't think to check a corner before she ran out. Straight into a Watch patrol. I had to run from the Watch last night, Basso. Me. Running from the Watch."

A low rumble of laughter. "And I'm sure the exercise did you good, Garrett. So she keeps you on your toes. Makes things interesting."

"I'm not a babysitter."

She heard a deep sigh, and then the chair legs scraped backward across the floor as Basso levered himself to his feet. "So take a break. Fly a job solo and clear your head."

The pacing stopped. She closed her eyes fully, picturing Garrett stood there with his arms folded, hip cocked to one side and that arrogant tilt to his shoulders. "You have something for me?"

"Sure thing. Come over here a minute."

Erin scowled into the darkness. So Garrett thought she was a burden, did he? That Watch patrol hadn't been her fault. If Garrett hadn't been holding her back by dawdling in the shadows they would have got away clean. No need for the mad dash along the rooftops that had left them both gasping for breath as Watchmen struggled to track them from the street below. It was his fault as much as hers, but she was the one who got the blame. The one who always got the blame.

She let her head fall back against the cheap plaster, grimacing. It was always the same. He never gave her credit, never treated her like an equal. Nothing she did was ever good enough for the Master Thief.

The sound of the window latch upstairs broke through her thoughts, demanding her attention.

"Seriously, Garrett? Why not?"

A scuffle from the window sill and the soft creak of leather. "I'm a thief, not a delivery boy. I'm not breaking into a castle to deliver a letter. Get a courier."

"I'm sure the castle is just stuffed full with shiny things just waiting for you."

"I said no, Basso."

"You got yourself a night off, then. That's the only job I got right now."

Heavier footsteps crossed the room, and she heard Basso pull the window frame closed and latch it. "Just for once, use the door?"

Time to make her own appearance. Erin crept back to the alley door and opened it again, letting it swing closed with a loud enough thump to be heard upstairs. As she made her way up the stairs, she caught sight of Basso collecting up a small sheaf of papers from the battered table he used for a desk. He looked up as she came in, setting the papers down on the edge of the desk.

"'Bout time you showed up. You just missed him. Hold up a second and I'll get you your share."

Erin folded her arms and leaned against the table. As Basso turned away from her toward the safe, she reached behind herself and grabbed hold of the top couple of sheets from the stack of papers Basso had piled precariously at the edge. A letter fell out from the pile so she swiped that too, stuffing the thin wad of paper up and under the back of her shirt so that it sat uncomfortably just beneath her shoulder blades. She tucked the back of her shirt into her belt to prevent the papers from falling out again. Jenivere chattered at her from the mantelpiece, and Erin scowled at the magpie.

Basso pulled a small cloth bag from the safe and swung the door shut. She felt the clink of coins in her palm as he handed it to her. "Is that all there is?"

"Lean pickings last night, it seems. Garrett told me you and he had a spot of trouble." Basso reseated himself in his chair, the easy-going tone of voice contrasting with the sharp glint in his eye.

Erin huffed, glancing toward the empty window. "It was mostly his fault. If he wasn't so slow none of it would have mattered."

Basso raised a thick eyebrow. "Slow? Careful, more like. Garrett don't move unless he knows there's time and shadow for it. Served him well for years, and it'd serve you too if you weren't in such a damn hurry all the time."

"You always take his side."

He snorted, extending a hand toward Jenivere. The magpie leapt from the mantelpiece and glided to perch on Basso's shoulder. Erin had always found the magpie's piercing black gaze unnerving, and she looked away. She was never quite sure just how much Jenivere was aware or understood of events.

"You got your own style; no-one's disputing that. And you'll do as you please. You always do. But remember that Garrett still knows a few tricks that you ain't learned just yet."

Erin glared at him, scuffing her foot against the floorboards. "He treats me like I'm some dumb kid. I'm not stupid."

"Course not. Give him time." Basso grinned. "Now get with you. A man needs his beauty sleep. Can't stay up all hours like you night owls."

 

****

 

As soon as she was away from the house and safely nestled against a chimney that stuck out from a flat rooftop, Erin pulled out the stack of papers. Basso's job particulars were always meticulous, and she skimmed through the first few lines, nodding to herself. A simple delivery, then. Someone was willing to pay good money to make sure a letter got to some noblewoman without anyone knowing about it. The envelope was made of good quality paper, sealed with dark green wax. Erin held it up against the light spilling from a nearby window, but the envelope was too thick to see anything useful through it. Two, maybe three sheets, she guessed from the size and heft of it. On the outside was written a single name, "Josephine", in an elegantly sloped script that spoke of too much breeding and education.

There were two maps tucked in with the papers. Erin spread them out against the tiles, studying them carefully. One map of Dayport with the estate neatly circled, and a hand drawn map of what had to be the inside of the estate. Castle Van Vernon lay to the south of Dayport, taking up an entire city block. Everyone knew that Lord and Lady Van Vernon rubbed shoulders with the Baron, and were among his favourites. Most of the factories in Cinderfall were rumoured to belong to the Van Vernons. Basso had been right when he joked that the castle had to be loaded with trinkets.

Erin smiled to herself, rolling the papers again and tucking them into her belt. This was perfect. She'd show Garrett just how good she was. She'd show them all.


	2. Chapter 2

The moon had risen by the time Erin reached Greystone Plaza, casting a silvery pall over the cobbles. The Watch Gates to Dayport had already shut for the night, but there was a narrow pedestrian gate which remained open throughout the night. Provided she could convince the guards on duty she had legitimate business in the wealthy district, gaining access should be no more difficult than mustering a flirty smile.

Erin removed her dark headscarf and retied it across her shoulders to mimic a respectable shawl. Checking her reflection in a nearby window, she combed her fingers through her short hair to render herself as presentable as possible. For the final touch she stole a covered wicker basket from one of the empty market stalls on the Stonemarket side of the Plaza. Nothing to see here. Just another poverty-stricken seamstress plying her trade at the back doors of rich households.

Taking a deep breath to centre herself, Erin allowed her posture to hunch forward slightly around the basket as if the imaginary clothes within had grown heavier and heavier as the day dragged on, with just one more delivery to make before heading home for the night. The closer she got to the two bored-looking guards who lounged beside the pedestrian gate, the easier it became to adopt a worn-down yet hopeful smile, allowing her glance to flick from one to the other quickly to attract their attention before modestly averting her gaze. She tightened her diaphragm and deepened her breathing to ensure that neither of them would be watching her face.

The guards waved Erin through without question. She kept her eyes firmly downcast to avoid the leering, and her hands firmly clenched around the wicker basket in order to prevent herself from breaking the fingers of the guard who playfully slapped her behind as she brushed past him.

Erin kept up the act until well after she rounded a corner and passed out of sight of the guards. She stashed the basket in the darkness beneath the benches lining a deserted side street. It would prove useful in getting her back through the gate again later.

 

****

 

Castle Van Vernon was easy to find, only a few streets to the west from Greystone Plaza. The immense estate was built to impress, standing isolated at the centre of its own city block, surrounded by gardens enclosed behind a high crenellated wall. Blocky and foursquare, the imposing mansion had probably once been a genuine stone castle, long ago before the streets of Dayport clustered up against the walls and the mansions of rival great families were constructed alongside. Traces were still visible in the stonework at each corner of where massive square stone towers had once stood, and where newer outer walls had been added to fill the spaces between the towers and extend the interior space. The front of the mansion was clad with marble and white limestone, surrounded by elegant cornice-topped columns. Shadows falling in between the columns promised many perfect hiding places, if only she could gain access to them without being spotted.

Erin walked a circuit of the surrounding streets, observing the castle from all sides, noting guards, windows and weak points, and searching for a usable point of entry. The front gate was out of the question. Ornate wrought iron gates blocked an archway that passed between the wings of a gatehouse, behind which the grand front entrance to the house was visible beyond a sea of white gravel. Too exposed, too brightly lit, too well guarded. Attempting to creep quickly or quietly over loose and crunching gravel was a fool's game. No matter how satisfying sneaking in through the front door would feel, she needed something less suicidal.

The other three sides of the estate were surrounded by a high stone wall. Rounded guard towers protruded at regular intervals around the wall. Lamplight flickered from each tower, but the windows were high enough that it was impossible from the street to identify which, if any, were unoccupied. Although her map didn't show one, she thought it likely there would be a walkway along the top of the wall connecting the towers, and was almost certain that at least one guard would patrol the circuit.

There was a heavy wooden gate set into the wall between two of the towers near the rear of the estate, which looked promising. Erin sidled closer to get a better look. Torches burned brightly in high sconces on either side, banishing all but the slimmest of shadows. Narrow windows overlooked the gate from each tower, through which she could see guards moving inside. A lever protruded from the wall inside one of the guard posts, which she suspected controlled the opening of the gate. A potential exit then, but not an entrance.

Climbing over the wall seemed more and more like the only option. Garrett's grappling hook and rope would have been so very useful, had he been here. Erin cursed under her breath. She didn't need Garrett getting in her way, and she didn't need the equipment he relied on. There had to be some means of getting over the wall that didn't rely on scaling twenty feet of sheer stonework.

Turning the final corner to complete her circuit, Erin smiled. She stood in a tree-lined avenue that ran along the east side of the castle wall. Though most of the trees were too stunted by the City air to have grown to their full height, one or two of the trees were noticeably older than the others, with branches that twisted near to the top of the wall. Perfect.

Climbing the gnarled tree proved to be almost fun, a pleasant change from scrambling against stone and brick. Side-branches offered enough hand and footholds that she was soon perched in a fork between two upper branches. Any higher and the branches thinned dangerously, threatening to send her plummeting. The fall wouldn't be enough to kill her, but she was high enough that she would be risking a broken ankle if she fluffed the landing.

She was still a fair way short of the top of the wall, and even the thinnest branches did not reach all the way across the gap. Her vantage point was still too low for her to see over the top of the crenellations. There could be a whole squad of guards waiting and she'd never know it until she was on top of them.

Erin grinned, shifting her weight back and forth until the tree swayed along with her. Garrett would have called the whole mission off by now, scared off by the uncertainty of what could be lying in wait. But it was the thrill of confronting the unknown was what made thieving so exciting. He was supposed to be her mentor, but he was holding her back. She would triumph where he had turned tail and run. And then he'd have to admit she was special - that she was as good as the Master Thief.

As the tree flexed to the farthest point of its arc away from the wall, Erin sprang forward, using the recoil of the branches to give her an extra burst of speed. She launched herself into space, hands grasping at thin air as she flew.

The closer she got to the wall, the higher it loomed above her and the more certain it seemed that she would crash into the stonework and tumble to a broken heap on the street below. Erin twisted in mid-air, managing to land feet first against the wall about a metre or so from the top. She kicked off again to gain as much height as possible. Her hands scrabbled against the wall, seeking any kind of purchase to stop herself from falling.

Her grasping fingertips finally slid into a crack between two stones. Immediately she kicked off again before she could lose her grip, the apex of this second jump allowing her to slide a hand over the lip of a crenellation.

Erin dangled from one hand, panting. Gingerly she felt around with a foot for something to brace against. As soon as she felt resistance from the stone, she used it to push herself upward until she could cling to the stone lip with both hands, pulling herself up. Her arms were trembling by the time she hooked a knee over the edge and rolled over the top onto her back. She took a few minutes to lay back on the top of the wall, too busy gasping for breath to care about shadows or guards, or anything other than sucking air into her lungs.

Maybe Garrett's grappling hook might have been useful after all. When this was over she needed to get something like that for herself.

As soon as her blood stopped pounding in her ears Erin rolled to her feet and crouched, looking around to get her bearings. As she'd predicted, a walkway ran along the top of the wall linking the two nearest guard towers. A narrow wooden railing lined the inner parapet, beyond which fell a sheer drop to the gardens. Across the perfectly landscaped shrubs and flowerbeds she could see the terrace that skirted the rear of the mansion, and her way in. The silvery moonlight fell full across the walkway, leaving no shadows large enough to hide her. She needed to get down from the wall as quickly as possible before a patrol passed through and spotted her.

The sound of snoring drifted from the guard tower to her left. Erin smirked. Someone wasn't paying too much attention at their post. She made her way silently toward the tower, and laid her ear to the door. She could hear nothing but the snoring. Probably only one guard then, and he wasn't paying attention.

Erin tried the handle. The door was unlocked, and she gently pushed it open a crack and peered in. A candle hung from the ceiling, casting a gentle glow over a single guard who sat slumped forward in a wooden chair, his elbows resting on the window ledge that looked out over the street. A half-empty bottle sat on the floor next to him. She cursed silently under her breath. The window faced directly onto the tree she had climbed. If the guard hadn't been asleep, there was no way he could have failed to see her.

Along the curved inner wall, a flight of steps led down to the room below. She padded softly toward them, keeping an eye on the sleeping guard, who never stirred. Erin smiled to herself. Her luck was holding. She would be in and out before anyone suspected anything. Like a thief in the night. She bit her lip, stifling the snort of laughter that threatened to escape.

As Erin reached the top step, a door opened in the far wall. Startled, she looked up, to see a second guard outlined in the doorway, having come in from the walkway on the other side of the tower. They both froze, staring at each other in disbelief.

Shit.

There was nowhere to hide and no time to run. Erin grabbed for her dagger at the same time as the guard drew his sword. She sprang forward, desperate to close the gap before he had the chance to bring his longer blade to bear. At the last moment she ducked under his swing, thrusting the dagger inward and upward, and sliding the blade home between the buttons of his leather jerkin. Hot blood spilled over her hands as she pulled her dagger free and spun away. The guard folded in on himself, dropping his sword to clatter onto the floor, and clutching his hands to the wound. Before the he had a chance to scream or call for help, Erin grabbed his chin and drew her dagger across his throat to silence him.

Erin guided the body down to the floor to ensure it landed as quietly as possible, watching the sleeping guard intently for any sign of movement. This was bad. He could wake at any time. She couldn't leave a body here for anyone to find, but there were no dark corners she could stash it in. She ran partway down the stairs in the hope that there might be a hiding place at the base of the tower, but the room below contained only a circle of stools pulled in close around a card table. She could extinguish the candles to darken the room, but the tower windows would be visible across the gardens. Anyone alert across half the estate would find the sudden darkness curious and come to investigate.

Erin grimaced, wiping her hands more or less clean on the guard's sleeves. She replaced the dagger at her belt and pulled out her blackjack, turning to the sleeping guard. If she couldn't hide the body, she would instead have to make sure the he wouldn't wake until after she was long gone.

Leaving the unconscious guard slumbering next to the bloodied corpse of his colleague, Erin made her way down the stairs, scowling. She had no way of knowing how long it would be before someone discovered them and raised the alarm. So be it. She would just have to be in and out before they were found. Nothing to worry about, just yet. She was still in control, and she could do this. Easy.

Erin found a door at the base of the stairs that led to the gardens, slipping out into the night air like a shadow.


	3. Chapter 3

Erin was careful to avoid stepping on the gravel paths which criss-crossed the formal gardens. So far as she could see no patrols passed through here, but habit and nature kept her darting across the pockets of moonlight, seeking refuge in the shadows of ornamental shrubs which stood like sentries amid the rows of flowerbeds. The barks and yips of large-breed dogs drifted across the garden from a kennel compound built into the north wall. Erin circled around, giving the kennel a wide berth lest the hunting hounds catch a trace of her scent on the breeze. The last thing she needed was suspicious guards releasing the dogs to track her down. Human guards were easy to fool, but dogs were tricky bastards who could scent a thief hidden in perfect darkness, could pinpoint the tiniest scrape of movement.

A liveried guard stood on the terrace that stretched across the rear of the house, cupping his hands around a hand-rolled cigarette. He was young, wearing an over-starched uniform two sizes too large. Probably someone's son or nephew with strings pulled to ensure his position. Erin slid carefully through the shadows up to the base of the terrace until she was at eye-level with his mirror-polished boots.

"Does your mother know you're smoking those things?" A second pair of boots joined the first, also polished, but battered through hard use. Erin shrank back a little further into the shadow, pressing her back against the cool stone.

"You're not going to tell her, are you?" Erin rolled her eyes at the reedy tremor.

"Hell, no. You think she'll be happy to learn her precious angel wastes his wages on that crap?" Polished boots shuffled against the flagstones as the youth shifted his weight nervously. "I've got better sense than that. You should worry more about what I'm going to tell the Captain about you slacking off."

The cigarette was hastily stubbed out against the stonework. Erin twisted to avoid the glowing stub as it was tossed into the flowerbed near her feet. "Don't tell him! I've only been here a minute. I just—"

"Relax, kid. Long as you're gone by the time I come back."

"Yessir."

Heavy footfalls moved away across the terrace and down the steps on the far side, followed by the regular crunch of gravel retreating across the garden. With a deep sigh and a petulant scuff of hobnails against flagstone, the youth spat a gobbet of saliva onto the ground at his feet and trudged away to resume his patrol.

Erin waited a few seconds longer, until she was sure that no-one else was in earshot, before pulling herself up and over the terrace railings, landing lightly on the flagstones. Silent as smoke, she padded toward the elaborately glazed double doors which led inside. The lock was new and stiff, but a few moments work with her picks and she was inside. Unable to relock the doors again without the key, she was forced simply to hope that no-one passing through would notice that only the latch held them closed behind her.

 

****

 

Erin encountered few guard patrols as she threaded her way through the corridors and opulent staterooms of the castle. She suspected that security was far more heavily focused on the outer walls and gates, assuming that few intruders would be able to penetrate the house itself. It was almost child's play slipping from shadow to shadow, slinking to the nearest corner whenever she heard footsteps approaching. She smiled to herself, relishing the feeling of thrill of power she felt at having the run of such an estate despite the layers of security intended to keep her out.

She paused every so often to fill her pockets with whatever valuable trinkets she encountered, although she left untouched anything too bulky or too heavy, like the solid gold candlesticks standing to either side of the marble fireplace in the library. Without Garrett and his climbing rope to scale the district walls, whatever she might steal would have to be smuggled back through the Watch Gate in her pockets. Beautiful though they were, ornate candlesticks and other such large treasures would be far too conspicuous. Instead, she consoled herself with the silver cutlery she found laid out on a table in the gallery, and a small picture frame studded with what she hoped were semi-precious gems. By far the most satisfying was pickpocketing the few guards she did encounter, cutting the pouches from their belts and letting them drop into her waiting palm. Removing the coins, she stuffed the empty pouches under a sofa where they were unlikely to be found until the next time a maid cleaned the room.

At the centre of the castle stood a wide square atrium, likely once open to the sky but now covered by a dome of richly patterned stained glass. Marble pillars ringed the space, surrounding a central pool within which a small fountain merrily trickled. Arches along each wall opened onto a corridor which circled the atrium, from which doorways led in all directions to the inner rooms of the castle. A balcony circled the upper floor, edged by an ornate wrought iron balustrade.

Erin paused in the light streaming in through a mullioned window to consult her map of the house interior. Lady Van Vernon's chambers were to be found upstairs in the northeast tower, the entrance opening off the upper atrium balcony. The kitchens and the servants' staircase were not too far from her current hiding place, and would likely prove a far easier route to the upper floor than the grand stairwell, which swept its way around the perimeter of the main entry hall and was almost certainly guarded.

Despite the late hour, several servants were still hard at work in the kitchens. Snippets of their conversations drifted along the narrow corridor. Erin paused briefly at each door to listen, gauging whether there was useful information to be gleaned.

"Elspeth, leave that for now and stoke the fire. Lady Josephine will be wanting hot water for washing when she returns. You can scrub the floor later."

"Yes Ma'am." There was a dull splash of something being thrown into a bucket, followed by receding footsteps.

Erin smiled to herself, laying her palm flat against the door before moving on. If the Lady was currently away from the castle, then this was the perfect opportunity to plant the letter and leave without being discovered. But she'd have to hurry. Quickly in and out. Simple.

The servants' wing occupied the upper floor of the southeast tower, and was hidden from the main household behind a door disguised as a wall panel. For all they depended on the work of servants and labourers, the nobility seemed obsessed with trying to pretend the poor didn't exist.

Booted footsteps echoed from somewhere further along the corridor, and Erin shrank into the nearest deep shadow, hiding behind the heavy velvet drapes which periodically lined the corridor. A dim light rounded the corner and bobbed toward her—a smouldering torch held aloft by a single guard as he patrolled the upper hallway. Erin pulled herself as far behind the curtain as possible, sucking in her breath and willing herself to become not here. Nothing to see here. Just folds of hanging fabric, indistinguishable from all the others. No need to pause or wonder, no need for a second look. Just pass on by, oblivious.

Her blood thudded in her ears as the guard drew closer and she began to worry that the guard might somehow sense her presence. The torch was almost level with her hiding place, and she screwed her eyes shut, waiting for the shout of discovery.

Cloth whispered against cloth as the guard passed her, so close that his liveried sleeve brushed against the heavy drape that concealed her. Erin remained frozen in place until the measured footfalls departed, and the floorboards creaked with the weight of the guard's passing.

She peered out from behind the curtain to see the final glow of the torch as it was carried away out of sight. She emerged from her hiding place, letting the folds of heavy cloth swing back into place, the folds lying exactly as they had done before they sheltered her. Erin resumed her progress along the corridor, shifting her weight smoothly and evenly as she moved to minimise the chances of creaking from the boards beneath her feet.

Before long, she reached the double doors leading out to the atrium balcony, and crouched to peer through the keyhole. The balcony was wide, encircling the upper level of the atrium and supported by elegant tapered pillars which continued upward to support the domed glass high above. Arched alcoves lined the walls, some framing doorways, and others hosting elaborate sconces holding flickering candles. Between the candles and the moonlight streaming in from above, there was too much light for comfort.

Footsteps drifted through the air around her, their origins difficult to pinpoint as they echoed off the stone walls and high ceiling. Erin was able to distinguish three distinct treads, but was unable to identify whether they came from the corridors around her or from the floor below. Not knowing whether she was about to be discovered left her twitchy, looking back over her shoulder constantly.

Garrett had explained once that by far the most important sense a thief needed was hearing. He had spoken of not merely listening, but of allowing the sounds to wash over and around like waves. To hear each fragment of the whole, and to instinctively locate threats, hiding place, hazards, traps. To listen to a guard's footfalls, and to know not only how distant the threat, but which direction he faced and even the nature of the weapon he carried and his state of alertness. It was rare for Garrett to be quite so poetic, and Erin had been surprised enough that she never forgot. She doubted though that even the Master Thief could make sense of the confusing tangle of echoes that jumbled together in the high spaces of the atrium.

Checking through the keyhole one last time, Erin twisted the handle and stepped through the door onto the balcony. She couldn't see any patrolling guards—that would have to suffice, otherwise she'd still be crouched paralysed with indecision at the door when the guard she'd evaded earlier completed his circuit of the upper floor and returned to catch her.

 

****

 

Lady Van Vernon's chamber was dark and still, and Erin breathed a sigh of relief as she slipped in and closed the door behind her. She found herself in a sitting room, in which a semicircle of royal blue damask wingback chairs clustered around an unlit fireplace. An archway divided the room in two, beyond which stood a four-poster bed draped in the same rich blue fabric.

Erin helped herself to a silver letter-opener that lay discarded on a side table before creeping to the window to get her bearings. From this high vantage point she could see over the high castle walls, beyond which the wide Dayport avenues sloped down toward the river where silver moonlight glittered off the water. At this far remove from the filth and bustle of the riverbank, the view was breathtakingly beautiful. Erin laid a palm against the diamond-patterned glass, lost for a moment to the sight.

Turning abruptly away from the window, Erin shook her head. She didn't have time to waste appreciating the view. Lady Van Vernon could be returning any minute, and she needed to be gone before then. She padded over to the bed, retrieving the letter from her pocket.

Basso's instructions had said that the letter should be hidden beneath a pillow so that it would only be found by someone climbing into the bed. Erin shrugged. As a plan it seemed good enough to ensure that only the Lady would find it. No-one else would have any business poking about in her bed.

A padded footstool had been pushed up against the side of the bed. Erin blinked at it for a moment. The soft feather mattress was hardly high off the ground. Was Lady Van Vernon some kind of midget?

Half a dozen pillows of various sizes were artfully piled against the carved headboard. She found it hard to imagine that anyone could need that many pillows. Erin moved to the head of the bed, gently pulling back the silk damask coverlet.

A soft growling sound startled Erin and she froze, eyes darting round the room in an attempt to identify the threat. The growling was far too high-pitched to be one of Lord Van Vernon's hunting dogs, and it was coming from somewhere close by. A moment later the growling faded away, and she allowed herself to relax. She slid the letter beneath the nearest pillow. Job done, time to get out of here.

The pillow sat up and growled at her, baring sharp little white teeth. Black eyes glared at her from beneath a waterfall of silken white hair that fanned out across the coverlet. Erin raised her hands and backed away slowly, not daring to break eye contact with the—with whatever that thing was. It jumped from the bed to the stool and from the stool to the floor, the growling growing louder and more insistent. It leapt toward her, teeth snapping together at her ankles as she backed away hastily.

Erin's back thumped against a door. She flung it open and ran through, swinging the door closed just in time. The creature thumped against the bottom of the door with the force of its leap, the growling giving way to a loud high-pitched yapping. It pranced back and forth, scrabbling its paws under the bottom of the door trying to get to her.

Erin looked round, her heart sinking. Without paying attention to where she was retreating to, she had run into the bathroom. The door she had come in by was the only exit. A large clawfoot bathtub dominated the centre of the room, and against one wall stood a chest of drawers. A full length mirror hung on a wooden stand in the far corner. The one window was a fixed pane with no catch, offering no means of escape.

Her head snapped up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Squelching the panic that threatened to choke her, Erin scrambled over to the mirror and wedged herself against the wall behind it.

The door opened and a guard poked his head into the room, the dog running circles around his feet. Erin held her breath, pressing herself against the wall. Harsh electric light flooded the room as the guard flicked the switch, and Erin braced herself for the inevitable discovery.

"Ah, quit yer yapping. Bloody dog. What in blazes set you off this time?" The guard kicked at the dog, shoving it back out of the bathroom.

The door swung shut. Erin let out a ragged breath, curling her hands into fists. Too close. Too close, and too stupid. What the hell was she thinking, getting herself cornered like that? She thumped a fist gently against her forehead, screwing her eyes shut. When she told Garrett about tonight's success, this part was getting left out.

Once she was certain the guard had left, Erin plunged the bathroom back into darkness and crept to the door. Turning the handle gently, she opened the door a crack and peered through. The dog sat at attention a foot away, staring intently at the door. Two tiny topknots were tied with lacy black ribbon at the crown of the domed skull, from which long silky hair parted and fell in snowy waves, brushing against the floorboards.

The opening of the door prompted a further round of growling and snapping teeth, as the tiny body crouched ready to hurl itself at her. Erin retreated hurriedly as the dog wreaked its tiny fury against the door.

Erin let herself slump down with her back to the door. Her head fell back against the wood with a thud, drawing fresh barks and yips from the furious animal. How could something that small and ridiculous trap her like this?

She couldn't dare open the bathroom door again until the dog had gone away. If she allowed it to erupt into barking and howling again, the guards would come running. Her luck had held once behind the mirror, but she couldn't rely on evading a second search of the bathroom.

Erin grimaced, pressing the back of one hand to her forehead. Stupid. Stupid and careless. Basso was going to laugh his head off if he ever learned about this.

She sighed, shifting and trying to find a comfortable position sat on the tiles. She could still do this. She'd already fulfilled the job—all she had to do was escape, and then she could still call this a success. As long as no-one ever found out. Sooner or later that—thing—would give up and go away. She just had to wait until it gave up. And then she could slink away and never let anyone know.


	4. Chapter 4

Erin lay flat on her stomach on the tiles with her head canted to one side, squinting until she could see out from under the bathroom door. Alert black eyes stared intently back at her. The dog was comfortably settled on a rug a few feet the other side of the door. She sighed, clenching her fists until leather gloves creaked in protest. It felt like hours she'd been trapped here, with nothing to do but keep watch on her fluffy little jailer. She'd given up on trying to open the door after the first dozen or so attempts to do so only provoked fresh growls, and the creature showed no sign of leaving or losing interest.

The door to the balcony opened, and a serving girl crossed the room to kneel at the fireplace and rekindle the stacked coals. The dog turned its head to watch, but remained in position guarding the bathroom door.

A moment later, a second figure swept into the room in a flurry of muslin and lace. The girl rose to her feet and bobbed a curtsy. "Good evening, my lady."

A richly lined hooded cloak was tossed casually in the general direction of the nearest chair. The girl scurried forward to gather up the billowing folds from the floor. She folded it carefully and placed it on the chair, then stood there awkwardly, shuffling her feet and darting glances to the door.

"Ruby!" Lady Van Vernon clapped her hands together, ignoring the girl entirely and looking around expectantly. The dog jumped to its feet and dashed over to her, pawing at her skirts in its eagerness. She bent to pick up the creature, cuddling it to her chest and cooing to it. She carried the dog over to the bed, plopping her down on the coverlet.

Erin rose noiselessly to her feet, flexing her joints to shake off the stiffness of lying still for so long. This had to be her chance. As soon as the maid was dismissed, she could escape while Lady Van Vernon was occupied with her hell-spawn of a dog.

Lady Van Vernon unleashed a sudden string of invective that would make even a Riverside dockfrock blush. Erin's head snapped round, her muscles tensing, poised to run. She forced herself to relax and lay down flat to peer under the bathroom door once more.

"Elspeth! What does he know?"

"My lady?" Elspeth swallowed, her hands twisting nervously behind her back. She shot an anxious glance toward the balcony door.

Lady Van Vernon clutched the letter in one hand, the expensive parchment crumpling between her fingers. "My husband. What does he know? What has he told you?"

"I … I don't know what you mean, my lady."

"Don't lie to me!" She advanced on the quaking girl and shook the letter in her face. "My fool of a husband may think me blind, but I know what happens in my own home. I know he visits the House of Blossoms, and I know that you warm his bed."

Lady Van Vernon gripped Elspeth by the throat, jerking the girl off balance until her grip was the only thing keeping her from falling.

"Lie to me again, and I'll have you whipped." She yanked the girl forward, forcing her to make eye contact. "What does he know?"

Elspeth flinched, screwing her eyes shut. "N-nothing. The Master d-doesn't talk to me. He just—"

Lady Van Vernon shoved her backward, throwing her to the floor. The girl cowered, scrabbling away until her back hit the wall.

"Get out!"

Elspeth fled, the balcony door slamming shut behind her.

Lady Van Vernon stalked over to the nearest chair and leaned against the back, her elbows locked and her hands clenching and unclenching against the rich fabric. She took several deep breaths, letting her head hang forward. Wisps of straw blond hair escaped from the elaborate crown of ringlets framing her face, and she irritably swiped them out of her eyes. Ruby trotted toward her mistress and sat at her feet, pawing at her skirts and whining with distress.

Erin rose to a crouch, a hand on the bathroom door, listening intently for signs of movement. This might be her best chance to escape, while Lady Van Vernon and her ridiculous toy dog distracted one another.

There was a tentative knock at the balcony door. Erin heard booted footsteps enter the room accompanied by the telltale muted jingle of metal against metal. One of the guards. She let out a heavy sigh, her head dropping forward against the door handle. Of course the guards wanted to investigate raised voices in the lady's chambers. Quickly, she crept back to the mirror and pressed herself against the wall behind.

"The Captain requests that you allow me to stay with you for now, your Ladyship. There's been an intruder in the grounds and he is concerned for your safety."

"An intruder?"

"One of the sentries was found murdered at shift change, and a second incapacitated."

A sharply indrawn breath. "And is he still here? Am I in danger?"

"It's just a precaution, your Ladyship. The Captain has doubled all patrols inside the castle and we've got men searching the grounds. We'll flush him out."

"I … I see. Very well, then. But you can stand outside. I intend to retire for the night."

"Understood, your Ladyship. But please allow me to bar your window."

"If you feel it necessary."

A few moments later, wood scraped against wood as a stout brace was lowered into position across the windows.

"Good night, your Ladyship."

Behind the mirror, Erin let herself slide to the tiles, drawing her knees up to her chest and dropping her head into her hands. She'd all but forgotten about the two bodies she'd left behind on her way in. It shouldn't have mattered—she should have been long gone before anyone discovered them. If that accursed little dog hadn't—

No, she couldn't lay blame entirely on the dog. She had let her guard down. She'd failed to spot the animal and failed to pay attention which direction she retreated to. Had even failed to confront the dog, turning tail and fleeing instead of knocking the damn thing out with her blackjack. She'd panicked and she'd screwed up, and it was looking increasingly likely she was going to die for it.

In the silence of her own thoughts she cursed herself, calling upon whatever sympathetic spirits might be listening for the guard to drop dead on the spot, or for an explosion—anything would do. Anything to get her out of here. She swallowed, clutching her head in her hands so hard that her fingernails dug into her scalp.

The sounds of movement drifted from the bedroom as Lady Van Vernon went about her nightly routine, Ruby prancing at her heels and whining for attention. It seemed forever before the mattress creaked and the candle snuffed out. Soft snoring followed an eternity later.

Erin rolled her head to the side, staring listlessly at the bathroom door. And there it was—the muted thump of paws landing on the rug, shortly followed by snuffling and scratching at the door as the dog tried to break into her tenuous sanctuary. Perfect. Just perfect.

 

****

 

Much as she wanted to, she couldn't ignore it any longer. The patch of sky visible through the diamond paned window was lightening. It could only be another hour, at most two, before the sun's first rays crept above the horizon. Sooner or later Lady Van Vernon was going to wake. The mirror had hidden her from the guard's earlier cursory search, but with sunlight streaming in through the window remaining hidden would be impossible.

Ruby was tiring. The scratching came only intermittently now, interspersed with lengthy periods of uneasy silence during which Erin held her breath, wondering if she dared attempt an escape. Several times she had crept to the door during the silences and opened it a crack, only to come face to face with the tiny silken-haired monster. Each time she had been forced to retreat again as the lips curled back from bared teeth and the low growling threatened to erupt into furious yapping. There was no means of telling whether the guard still stood sentry outside the balcony door. But she couldn't risk setting off the dog just to find out.

She heard a soft thud as something landed on the floor near to the other side of the door. A few seconds later, there followed another, this time a little further away. Blunt claws scrabbled against the floorboards as Ruby presumably ran over to investigate. There was a faint scraping of leather against wood and Ruby whined softly.

Erin pressed her face against the tiled floor and peered through the gap under the door, but the room beyond was too dark to make anything out against the gloom. There was a series of soft thumps accompanied by a faint swishing noise, then low whines and whimpers, that sounded—happy? Erin shook her head, confused.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the door handle turn. There was no time to make it back across the room to the mirror, so she threw herself sideways instead, rolling into a crouch behind the door as it opened.

As soon as she saw a head emerge round the door, Erin took aim with her blackjack. But before she could complete her swing a hand grabbed at her wrist, twisting it back over her head at a painful angle and forcing her to drop the blackjack. She kicked out, relishing the pained yelp as her foot connected solidly.

"Erin!"

As soon as she heard the furious whisper, she froze. Garrett glared at her, digging his fingers painfully into her wrist before he released her. Erin pulled her hand back, blinking at him in confusion as she rubbed the feeling back into her wrist.

Garrett stepped fully into the room, closing the bathroom door behind him. As he passed her, Erin realised that he had the dog tucked securely under one arm. Ruby began to growl softly, wriggling in his grip as she tried to get to Erin.

Garrett shifted his grip on the dog, turning her away until she could no longer see Erin. He rubbed his fingers against the back of the little dog's head, gentling her until she fell silent.

"Open the pouch at my belt. Give her some."

Confused by the soft-spoken order, Erin did as she was told. Her questing fingers found a handkerchief wrapped around scraps of cold meat. Hesitantly, she opened her hand out to Ruby, fully expecting to be bitten. After a second of glaring at her, the dog sniffed at her fingers and the scraps of meat quickly vanished. Ruby sniffed at her hand expectantly. A small pink tongue licked her fingers.

"Good. Now pet her. Slowly and gently, so she knows you're not a threat."

Ruby's silky white hair was soft and warm in her hands. At her touch, the little dog whined softly, contorting herself as she tried to press her head into Erin's palm.

Garrett crouched, setting Ruby on the tiled floor and ignoring her as she pawed at his boots, trying to jump up at him. Erin retrieved her blackjack from where it had rolled after she dropped it.

"Time to go."

After checking that Lady Van Vernon still slept peacefully Garrett headed straight for the balcony door, but Erin lingered a moment. A few seconds searching revealed the letter she'd delivered earlier, lying crumpled on the floor under a chair. She retrieved the letter, flattening it out. She scanned through it quickly, curious to know what she had risked her neck for.

> My dearest Josephine,  
>  I have heard a rumour that Lord Van Vernon knows of our relationship. I do not know how this knowledge came to his ear, but if he knows of our liaison then I fear he will cast you aside. You cannot risk your position. I have nothing to offer you but my affections, and without the fortune you will inherit from him, I cannot support you as you deserve. I cannot bear to see you ruined. Take heart that your husband is old and infirm. If fortune favours us, it will not be too long before you don a widow's veil and I may court you openly. Until then, it is too dangerous for us to continue meeting. Know that I am every bit as pained by our separation as you, and that I will count the days until I can see you again. Farewell my love.  
>  ~ Master Willey

Erin shook her head in disbelief, replacing the letter on the floor under the chair.

The atrium appeared deserted, although footsteps could be heard echoing from somewhere she couldn't identify. Erin looked over at Garrett curiously but he shook his head sharply, holding his finger to his lips. He pointed toward a door that stood ajar on the opposite side of the atrium.

Erin followed Garrett soundlessly, slipping back into her apprentice's role and resenting every second. Until she encountered that bloody dog, she'd done just fine. She didn't need Garrett telling her what to do.

The doorway led into a richly furnished guest bedroom. Erin smirked when she rounded the bed and saw the unconscious figure slumbering against the wall, recognising the guard who had stood watch on the balcony outside Lady Van Vernon's door.

Despite appearing securely fastened at first glance, Erin quickly spotted the rope that prevented the window from swinging fully closed. She followed it back until she found the head of the rope arrow buried in the eaves above. Moving closer, she located the rope lying neatly coiled on the floor beneath the window where Garrett had pulled its length inside to hide his tracks. Garrett turned to close the door behind them while Erin gathered up the rope, preparing to thread it back out through the window.

"Dammit." Her head snapped round in surprise at the whispered curse.

Ruby trotted into the room behind them, tail wagging happily. Garrett made flapping shooing motions and tried to push her back out onto the balcony, but the little dog just plopped herself down on the rug and refused to budge. She whined hopefully, staring up at him with pleading eyes.

Erin turned away, quickly pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle the laugh that bubbled up inside her. This wasn't funny—the dog could betray them at any second, but the rare sight of Garrett flustered was something to savour. Something to be tucked away in the back of her memory and brought out when she had time to properly treasure it.

"It's stubborn, and it yaps. It'll make a racket if we leave it behind."

Garrett sighed, rubbing the back of his hand over his forehead. "She has to come with us then."

"How? I don't think rope-climbing is a trick you can teach a dog."

"Just go. I'll think of something."

Erin pushed the window open, leaning out over the sill to check for any patrols with a line of sight to them. With the coast clear, she fed the coil of rope out of the window until it hung straight down from the eaves, the free end trailing a loop on the ground below.

"Hurry up. Thanks to you there's far too many of them out there, and they're angry."

Erin pulled a face, keeping her head turned away so Garrett couldn't see it. He never missed a chance to rub her nose in it. Climbing out onto the sill, she tugged hard on the rope to test its security. Solid. Perfect.

She twisted onto her back, planting her feet securely against the stonework. As soon as she was sure of her footing she jumped lightly, feeding the rope through her hands little by little until she was safely on the ground below. She yanked on the rope to let Garrett know she was done although she was fairly certain he'd already seen her. She slipped into the nearest shadow and waited for Garrett to catch up, scanning their surroundings for anyone approaching.

After nearly a full minute had passed Erin scowled. What was the hold-up? The rope jerked and was pulled up and back in through the window. Concerned, Erin peered up at the window above, trying to make out what was going on.

The rope fell back toward her, its component strands hanging loose. What the hell?

The twin ends of the untwisted rope span lazily in midair and she looked up. An inky shadow slowly descended toward her. It wasn't until Garrett was almost halfway down that Erin caught a glimpse of white hair hanging over his shoulder. The untwisted strands of rope were wrapped either side of his waist and between his legs to form a fragile-looking rope harness. One hand firmly gripped the dangling strands behind his back, leaving the other free to hold Ruby firmly against his chest. Garrett took the descent slowly and gently, walking his way smoothly down the wall. The little dog squirmed in his tight grip, panting with excitement.

Once Garrett was low enough for her to reach, Erin took Ruby from him, allowing him to jump to the ground. Whilst he untangled himself from the rope strands, she set the little dog on the ground. Ruby ran in circles around her feet, letting out happy little barks. Erin quickly grabbed her again and held her against her shoulder, rubbing circles into her back like a baby until she quieted.

Garrett again took the lead as they made their way across the gardens toward the castle wall, ducking through the greenery to avoid the guard patrols that circled the gardens. The castle was on high alert, the guards grim-faced and uncharacteristically silent as they swept through the grounds. Despite the unpredictable search patterns it was easy to hear their heavy footsteps crunching against the gravel paths, giving plenty of warning to the two fugitives tracing their way through the gardens.

Erin kept Ruby clutched under her arm. It was much easier that way, knowing exactly where the little dog was, and making it possible to ensure that Ruby was fully hidden whenever they were forced to crouch in shadow waiting for a patrol to pass by. Her glossy white coat gleamed in the pale moonlight each time they were forced to dart across the open spaces between shadows. Left to trail behind them by herself, Ruby would get them caught in seconds.

Slipping into the deep shadows of the outer castle wall was a relief. Erin exhaled, feeling a tension subside within her that she'd not realised she was carrying. Garrett peered through the keyhole of a door set into one of the wall towers, before setting his picks into the lock. The deft movements of his fingers on the picks were mesmerising.

He looked up, an irritated scowl on his face. "Are you planning to keep watch, or just stare at me?"

Erin turned away, covering her embarrassment by ruffling her fingers through Ruby's fur. The silky waves were already starting to tangle from the handling and the light breeze, and she wondered just how much time was wasted on just brushing the little dog.

Garrett pushed the door open gently to reveal darkness within. The lower room of the tower was deserted. A rough wood table and bench were shoved up against on wall, both thickly cobwebbed. Flickering light spilled down the stairwell from the room above. Someone was humming off-key. He motioned Erin to bring Ruby inside, and crept part-way up the steps to scout the upstairs room.

Hidden in the shadows of the lower room, Erin clutched Ruby to her chest. For once she didn't resent having to follow Garrett blindly. Maybe because by taking responsibility for keeping the little dog quiet and hidden she had a useful task to contribute, instead of being effectively deadweight trailing behind him.

She sighed. There was little point in trying to explain any of that to Garrett. He didn't trust her to do anything unless she did it exactly the way he'd do it. Not even if there were other, easier ways to accomplish the same thing. He was so careful and methodical, so obsessed with his ideals about passing through spaces like a ghost, leaving no trace of his presence. Even when it would be just as effective and much faster to just incapacitate anyone in earshot, leaving the path ahead unhindered.

A hand on her arm startled her and she snapped back to attention to find Garrett frowning at her. Great. Something else for him to blame her for.

"There are three of them, but their attention is on the street. The path to the door is clear."

"You don't want to take them out?"

"Three's too many. The patrols are too heavy to risk the third man raising the alarm."

Erin looked down at Ruby, chewing at the inside of her cheek, wondering if they dared trust her to keep silent past the guards upstairs. She sighed softly. They didn't have a choice. If they tried to leave her behind Ruby would raise the alarm all by herself.

"Wait at the top of the stairs until I open the door. I'll tell you when to move."

Erin nodded, stroking Ruby's ears. She laid a finger over the top of the black button nose, willing the dog to understand the order to be quiet. "Understood."

From their vantage point on the walkway that ran along the top of the outer castle wall, Erin watched the bobbing torches of the guard patrols criss-crossing the grounds. Her heart fluttered in her chest, exhilaration and anxiety warring for dominance. They were too exposed, no cover, no welcoming shadows. The wooden railing that lined the inner edge of the walkway was far too flimsy to offer any cover. The sky was lightening and dawn would be upon them soon. Already the silver moonlight had given way to grey predawn as a faint pink gold tinge spread across the sky.

Garrett kept his head low as he peered over the edge of the crenellations to the street below, minimising the silhouette he made against the brightening sky. Erin crouched with her back against the stone parapet, attempting to distract herself from the unease which threatened to choke her. Icy fingers groped at her spine as she remembered how the guard she'd killed had been patrolling this same walkway.

Garrett unlaced the rope and grappling hook from his climbing harness. Fixing the hook securely into the stone at the corner of a crenellation, he threw the coiled length over the wall until it hung to the street below.

Turning back to Ruby, Garrett gave her a gentle shove with his foot. "Time for you to go back to your mistress." The little dog sat on her haunches and stared back at him, head cocked to one side. Garrett sighed. "Go away."

Erin lowered herself over the edge and began to rappel down to the street below. Ruby whined, trying to jump up onto the edge of the parapet. Garrett yanked her back and dropped her onto the walkway, shoving her away with the flat of his foot.

Suddenly comprehending that she was being left behind Ruby tried to jump up at Garrett, pawing at his legs. When he pushed her away again, she whined and fussed. He tried to grab hold of her to shush her but she dodged him and ran in circles, yapping her displeasure.

The door to the nearest tower opened. "Who's messing about up— Hey!" The guard grabbed for his sword.

Dangling from the climbing rope and out of sight of the guards, Erin froze. Garrett turned and fled, heading for the next tower along the top of the wall.

As Garrett neared the door to the next tower it flew open and a second guard emerged, leaving him cornered. He spun on his heel and drew his blackjack, the guards closing in on him from both sides.

Erin climbed back up, pulling herself level with the parapet in time to see Garrett feint to one side then spring forward to the other, ducking under the sword that flashed toward his head. He lashed out with his blackjack but caught only empty air. As soon as the guard had stumbled past him Garrett sprinted for the door. The second guard raised his crossbow, taking aim and firing.

Erin felt the wind of the bolt as it flew past her and flinched as Garrett yelped and stumbled to the side, clutching at the bolt protruding from his hip. She was forced to duck back down beneath the parapet as the crossbow-wielding guard charged Garrett, attempting to tackle him to the ground.

Off-balance from the crossbow bolt, Garrett twisted to the side in an attempt to evade the guard but was still struck a glancing blow as the heavier man crashed past him. The force of the tackle sent Garrett flying backward into the wooden railing, momentum flipping him up and over the edge.

There was a dull thud and a sickening crack, followed by silence.


	5. Chapter 5

Erin clenched her hands tightly around the climbing rope, fighting against the panicked shaking in her muscles. Her gut twisted, a cold, sick feeling roiling through her.

One of the guards on the walkway sheathed his sword, stepping forward to clap his companion on the shoulder. "Good work, Silas. Captain'll be pleased."

"Only if he's still breathing. Can't arrest a dead man."

"Get down there and check."

As soon as the footsteps moved away Erin scaled the rope and pulled herself back up to the walkway. Lying flat to minimise her silhouette she peered over the edge to the ground below, to where a row of neatly clipped shrubs edged the gravel path that skirted the base of the wall. A dark shadow lay crumpled between the broken branches.

The grey dawn-light was still too dim to make out any details and Erin held her breath, swallowing against the sudden dryness in her throat. Ruby lay down beside her, whining softly and pressing herself to Erin's side.

The tower door crashed open against the stonework as the two guards emerged, several of their colleagues in tow. They dragged Garrett from the bushes and dropped him roughly onto the path. Silas crouched over him, turning him onto his back and leaning close over him.

"Someone fetch the Captain. We got a live one."

Silas took hold of Garrett's arm, yanking him upright and looping an arm under his shoulder. Another guard took the other side. Garrett sagged between them, his head hanging limply. His feet dragged twin furrows through the gravel as they hauled him toward the house.

"Get back to your posts, lads. Don't worry yourselves. He'll pay for Edmund's death."

Erin scuttled away from the edge until she could slump down with her back to the stone parapet. There was a ringing in her ears. She clenched her hands into fists, thumping them against the stone until her knuckles bled. This wasn't supposed to happen. They'd already been over the wall. They should have been streets away and home free by now.

Ruby pressed her head against Erin's knee, clambering awkwardly into her lap. She stroked the little dog's head, combing her fingers through the silky hair. Her eyes burned and prickled. She dashed the back of one hand across her face, blinking rapidly.

Enough. She didn't have time to sit here feeling sorry for herself. Garrett needed her.

 

****

 

Erin looked up at the brightening sky worriedly. Most of the patrolling guards had already doused their torches. The pink haze on the horizon had spread halfway across the sky, casting a golden glow across the grounds. It wouldn't be long before even the darkest shadows were no longer deep enough to hide them. Her fingers plucked compulsively at the fringe of her headscarf as she took slow, deliberate breaths, trying to settle the icy ripples down her spine.

She picked her way gingerly through the gardens, following the tracks in the gravel around to the south side of the estate. Ruby trotted close at her heels, whimpering softly. The tracks ended at a flight of stone steps that led down beneath the southeast tower. A stout wooden door blocked the way, but readily yielded to Erin's lockpicks.

Down in the undercroft the air was musty and cool. Vaulted arches rested upon squat stone pillars which supported the great weight of the tower above. Dust lay thick everywhere, save for a narrow pathway where the passing of feet had swept the flagstones clean. Torchlight flickered from rusted iron brackets, casting a lattice of shadows that jumped and twitched unpredictably over the stacks of crates and sheeted furniture. On the far wall, an arched corridor led away into darkness.

Ruby halted at the base of the steps, cocking her head to the side. A moment later her tail wagged, and she trotted forward confidently. Erin watched her suspiciously for a moment before hurrying to catch up. It wasn't as if she had any more idea where to go than the dog did. One direction was as good as another.

Erin followed Ruby through what seemed like an endless tangle of passages and intersections, trailing her hand along the crumbling stonework. Several times she was forced to take cover in the cellars and storerooms that opened to each side, holding her breath until the footsteps and bobbing torchlight passed her by.

Several turns after Erin began to worry that they were lost, angry voices spilled out into the passageway from somewhere just up ahead. Jeering and laughing, the commotion all but obscured the scuffling of boots against stone, the grunts of exertion and, beneath it all, the ragged sound of pained gasping.

Erin closed her eyes, thumping a fist silently against the wall. This was her fault. She'd killed that guard. It should be her in there. Not Garrett. But there was nothing she could do to stop them. Not against so many.

"That's enough, lads." A strident voice cut across the din, clearly used to being obeyed. "Can't kill him before the Watch get here."

"But Capt—"

"But nothing. You've had your fun, now everyone out! Micah, keep an eye on him."

Erin grabbed Ruby and fled back down the corridor with her to the shadows of the nearest doorway. She held her breath, hugging the little dog to her chest. Metal jangled against metal as several guards passed them.

As soon as the coast was clear, she returned to the doorway behind which the voices had come, and knelt to peer through the keyhole. Rows of stacked barrels and wine racks divided the room into alcoves. A wine cellar, then. A pool of torchlight spilled from an alcove to the left. A guard leaned against the end of one of the racks, arms folded and one ankle crossed over the other.

Erin cursed under her breath. He was facing the door. He'd see her as soon as she entered. Maybe she should search for another entrance?

There was a pained moan from somewhere hidden in the alcove. The guard looked round. "Aww, shuttup."

Ruby growled, sinking down onto her haunches and baring her teeth. Erin glanced down at her, worried that the noise would alert the guard. Wait a minute—that was exactly what she needed right now. Decision made, Erin shoved the door hard until it flew open and rebounded against the wall.

Ruby sprang forward, snarling. The guard raised his hands defensively, attempting to deflect the flurry of teeth and hair that hurled itself at him. A second's distraction was just long enough for Erin to slip into the room unnoticed and advance swiftly upon his flank. Vicious satisfaction rushed through her as she brought her blackjack down hard behind his ear. Ruby danced back out of the way as the guard crashed to the ground, running in circles around him. Erin waited just long enough to aim a kick at his head before dropping to her knees beside Garrett.

They had tied his hands behind his back. Garrett lay on his side, knees drawn up to his chest to protect himself as best he could. He flinched away when Erin laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Easy. It’s alright, it’s just me." Erin drew her dagger and began sawing at the rope around his wrists. "How badly are you hurt? Can you walk?"

No answer. She freed his hands and took hold of his shoulder to roll him onto his back. He hissed with pain at the movement.

"Garrett?"

Half-closed eyes stared blankly off into the middle distance. Erin knelt over him, cupping his cheek to turn his face toward her, trying to make eye contact. He blinked owlishly at her for a few seconds before his gaze slid away again.

"Dammit, Garrett! We don't have time for this. We can't stay here. It’s not safe here." She pulled at his arm, trying to drag him to his feet.

"Erin?" The whispered question was soft, almost hesitant.

"You were expecting someone else?"

"I …" He trailed off shaking his head, and immediately winced. Erin waited for him to finish the thought, but was met only with silence.

"We need to move. Now. They've summoned the Watch to arrest you. Could get here any minute."

She tugged at his arm again, more insistently. This time he responded, allowing her to help him to get his feet under him, pushing his back against the wall to help him stand. Once upright he clung to the wall, breath sharply indrawn through gritted teeth. She tried to avoid looking at the blood drying sticky on the flagstones where his head had been.

Erin pulled his arm across her shoulders so that he leaned heavily against her. His feet dragged against the stones as he stumbled so that she was as much carrying him as supporting him. Garrett balled his free hand over his hip, his breath hitching with every step. Erin dragged him out into the passage, picking a direction at random. Ruby ran back and forth ahead of them, nudging at her ankles every time she drew close, as if urging them to hurry.

Several turnings later, Erin guided him into one of the cellars that opened off from the corridor. The long low room was almost empty save for a stack of crates shoved behind a pillar. She lowered Garrett to the floor behind the stack and dragged a few of the smaller crates into position to hide them better. It'd never stand up to a thorough search but it was the best hiding place she could produce at short notice. Closing the door, she joined him behind the crates. Ruby flopped herself down next to them, resting her head in Garrett’s lap.

Erin fished a matchbook from one of her pockets and struck one against a crate. The tiny flame glinted off the blood that trickled from beneath his leather hood. Garrett hissed and flinched back when she reached for him. She knocked his hands away impatiently.

"Stop that. I need to see."

Blood had soaked through his hair, sticking to the leather in places as it dried. Garrett bit back a whimper as she pulled his hood away and a fresh trickle of blood trailed its way down his forehead and cheekbone. She took his head in both hands and gently ran her fingertips through his hair, searching for the source of all the blood, sternly reminding herself that head wounds always bleed like crazy. Garrett moaned and tried to pull away as her questing fingers pressed into the swelling. She held him firmly in place, shushing him. Erin tore a strip from the bottom of Garrett's cloak, wadded it, and pressed it against the wound. She pulled his hood back over the top to hold it in place. That would have to do for now. His cloak was already ragged enough - a little bit more would hardly make a difference.

The shaft of the crossbow quarrel had broken off at some point, leaving the wooden tip lodged just above Garrett's hip. Erin debated with herself whether she ought to pull it out. Basso was the one who usually did any patching up either of them might need. She'd never paid attention, figuring that if she ever got hurt so badly she couldn't make it back to Basso, then she was probably dead anyway and it wouldn't matter. Probably best to leave it alone. She at least couldn't make it worse that way. Garrett’s increasingly tattered cloak yielded up another fistful of wadded cloth which she pressed against his hip to staunch the bleeding.

Garrett had slumped sideways against the crate, his head falling forward. She shook his shoulder gently. "Hey, wake up. Stay with me." No response. Erin frowned, shifting forward on her knees until she was in front of him. She shook him again, harder. "Garrett!"

He mumbled something inaudible, squinting at her blearily.

Erin sighed, rubbing a hand over her forehead. What now? By now the sun was probably over the horizon. The shadows would have evaporated, leaving precious little cover. Venturing outside would be suicide. But holing up in here could be just as dangerous. When the Watch arrived expecting to find Garrett, they weren't going to just sit on their hands and shrug. Erin sat back against the crates, letting her head fall back against them with a thud. They needed to keep moving, but to where?

It didn't look like Garrett was going to be much help. Erin scowled, rubbing her hands together to dislodge flakes of dried blood which drifted to the ground at her feet. She'd wanted to prove herself, but this? This wasn't what she'd had in mind. It was Garrett's fault, really. He could call her reckless all he liked but it was his fault for refusing to listen to her. She wasn't some ignorant child. Not any more. She'd done just fine up until everything went to hell. It had all looked so simple when Garrett was in charge.

 

****

 

Garrett shifted next to her. He craned his head around, trying to see over the crates. He said nothing, but Erin could read the question in the clenched jaw and the way his fingers twitched toward his blackjack before stilling again. Ruby lifted her head from his lap, whining softly for attention.

"You're awake?"

"I …” Garrett blinked several times rapidly. He brought a hand up to his head, wincing. He looked up at her as if searching for something.

"I've not heard signs of a guard presence for a while now. I don't think the Watch have arrived yet."

"The Watch."

Something about the flat, detached tone bothered her. "How's the head?"

Garrett frowned, his gaze sliding down and to the left. For a moment, she wondered if he would answer at all. "Hurts."

"Chatty as ever."

Garrett glared at her, though without much heat. His fingers tapped out a staccato rhythm against his leg, gaze flicking from the floor to the crates and back again. Several times Erin was certain he was about to say something, but each time he just blinked and looked away.

Erin frowned. Something wasn't right. She struck another match, letting the brief flare illuminate them both. Garrett winced and threw a hand up to shade his eyes. But not before Erin caught a glimpse of his face. She leaned forward, taking his chin in her hand and turning his head to face her. The pallor of his skin was nothing new, but the icy sweat beading at his brow was unexpected given the chill of the cellar. So too was the rapid thrumming of his pulse against her fingers.

"Garrett?"

He was looking straight at her, but Erin had the feeling he wasn't actually seeing her. She traced her thumb over his cheekbone where the discolouring was darkening to an angry bruise. From the awkward care with which he held himself and the pained grimace every time he shifted, she suspected that the bruising covered much more than just his face.

His eyes slid closed and his head drooped forward into her hands. Erin shook him gently, vaguely remembering something Basso had once said about sleep being dangerous after a head injury. Or had he said that rest was the best cure? It was one of the two. Or something like that, anyway.

"Come on, stay with me. Talk to me."

"Where …?"

"Huh? Where are we, you mean?"

He nodded slowly and deliberately, pressing his hands against his head and rubbing small circles into his temples with his fingers.

Erin frowned at him. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Garrett's eyes unfocused, staring at nothing. Silence stretched between them for several minutes. Just as Erin was convinced that he'd somehow fallen asleep with his eyes still open, he blinked several times and his gaze snapped back to her.

"The wall?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"I … the wall. I remember. I … I think? The dog, she … didn't want … barking …"

Erin nodded, dropping her hand to Ruby's head, scratching gently at the loose skin at the back of her neck. "She's very taken with you."

Garrett's expression softened briefly as he looked down at Ruby. He stroked her muzzle, letting his fingers comb through the silky hair. Something unacknowledged inside Erin ached at the sight. She cleared her throat awkwardly, flailing around for something, anything, to change the subject.

"So what are you doing here?"

Garrett’s hand on Ruby's muzzle stilled, causing her to whine softly, bumping her nose into his palm. "Here?" He turned his head to look at the cellar around them.

"You turned the job down. So why come anyway?"

There was another long silence, punctuated by Ruby's persistent attempts to persuade Garrett to resume petting her.

"I … you …" Garrett trailed off for a moment, focusing on a nondescript spot on the opposite wall. "Basso … Jenivere. Sent a message … angry for jerking him around. Said I should have told him if I decided to take it."

"So you knew it was me who took the letter."

Garrett nodded, angling his head down and away until the shadows hid his face. "I followed … waited for you."

Erin glared at the back of Garrett's hood. "So you came to check up on me."

There was a soft exhalation from beneath the leather hood. His head dipped lower to rest against the crate. "Waited … too long. Knew something was wrong. Needed help."

Erin scowled. So yet again he didn't trust her to do anything right. Had to control everything, judge her for not doing it his way. Part of her wondered why the realisation bothered her. It wasn't like he was ever going to pat her on the head and tell her how proud he was. Nor would she even want him to. She didn't want it, so why did it still hurt to find out how little he thought of her?


	6. Chapter 6

Erin had given up on trying to keep Garrett awake. If he needed to sleep that badly then maybe it was best to just let him. At least he'd finally stopped shivering. She tugged gently at his cloak to pull it closer around him, letting her fingertips brush against his cheek.

She closed her eyes, letting her head thump back against the crate, stroking her fingers through the soft hair that draped across Ruby's haunches. Maybe Garrett was right not to trust her. She'd been so sure she was ready to take on a solo mission that she hadn't stopped to plan ahead. Reacting instead of thinking. Just what he always lectured her about. Ruby whined sharply as Erin's fists clenched in her fur. She forced her hands to relax again, petting the little dog apologetically.

Erin looked over at Garrett with a sigh. They'd never had this much trouble before. Not even that first time when she'd been so focused on imitating the way Garrett crept noiseless over the tiled floor that she'd forgotten to pay attention to where she was going. Maybe he was right and she just wasn't ready to take control. She'd been so certain that everything would go her way. That her luck would hold.

She spat a chewed strip of fingernail onto the stones beside her. Luck. That was the difference. Luck, and her lack of it had forced her to kill that guard—Edmund, wasn't it? Something like that, anyway. Sure, being lucky made everything easier, but she shouldn't need to rely on luck. She'd relied on luck and mistaken it for skill. Dammit.

Erin glared at the top of Garrett's hood. "Why couldn't you have told me all this before?"

No response. Not that she was expecting one anyway. With her luck, he probably had told her before and she just hadn't paid attention. And whose fault was that? Erin let out a slow sigh, closing her eyes and knocking the heels of both hands against her forehead. Okay. No more relying on luck. No more tempting fate. Not until well after her next pilgrimage to the Watchman's Grave.

So, assuming the worst possible luck, where did that leave them? Rappelling over the wall was out of the question. Right now she couldn't trust Garrett to walk in a straight line, let alone climb a rope. The thieves' highway would be closed to them as well. Erin shook her head. No point in worrying about getting home just yet. Getting out was going to be trouble enough.

Her head jerked round as shouts and the sound of running footsteps came from somewhere beyond the cellar door. Sparing a quick glance toward Garrett she cradled Ruby to her chest, two fingers stroking the soft muzzle in a silent plea for quiet.

"The Watch had to get here eventually. Took them long enough."

Doors slammed one by one in the distance, each crash nearer than the last. Ruby wriggled, trying to get free from where Erin was clutching her too tightly. She forced herself to relax her grip, murmuring soothing nonsense under her breath.

The door to their cellar was flung open against the wall with a shriek of tortured hinges. Garrett flinched at the noise, his eyes snapping open. Erin shot out a hand to stifle any sound, pressing her palm over his mouth and pulling him close. He tensed against her, tried to pull away. Erin froze, not daring to breathe as footsteps approached their hiding place.

Pale lantern-light spilled over the top of the crates from somewhere near the door. "Anything back there?"

"Nah, just a heap of crates."

"This is a waste of time. They lost the rat before we got here. He'll be long gone by now."

"No. He's here somewhere close by. You saw how much blood there was, he ain't gone far."

"Maybe you're right."

"It's raining dogs and polecats out there. Wouldn't you rather search a dry cellar than patrol a street?"

"You have a point there." The cellar door swung shut, plunging them back into darkness.

Erin let out a long shuddering breath, her heart hammering in her chest. Not again. She couldn't let them get trapped again the way she had in that bathroom. She'd had enough of cowering in corners waiting for a guard with half a brain to find her. She looked over at Garrett. He had drifted off again with his fingers clutched in Ruby's coat. He wouldn't be coming to rescue her this time; no more tricks. This time she had to save them both.

Erin leaned forward, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. The Watch weren't going to leave until they found their thief. They needed to be long gone before anyone came back to search this way again. But to where? She'd been so focused on getting to Garrett before the castle guards killed him that she'd failed to memorise the path she'd taken through the undercroft. Retracing their steps was no longer an option.

She had lost track of how long they'd huddled behind the crates, but it had to be well past daylight by now. Cover would be non-existent, and stealth all but impossible. Heavy rain might tilt the balance slightly in their favour by obscuring sightlines and driving guards to shelter, but she couldn't rely upon it any more than she could rely on what little luck she had left.

Stealth was out then, but maybe subterfuge might work? She'd bluffed her way through the Watch gate the previous night. Could the same get them out of the castle? The castle guards and the Watch would easily catch a pair of thieves in daylight, but they wouldn't hassle someone who had a right to be there. A pair of servants, perhaps?

Erin pulled out the map of the castle that she'd stolen from Basso and spread it out across the floor. She pulled out her matchbook and struck one, holding the small flame over the map. Whoever had drawn it hadn't bothered to include the undercroft, but the exterior plan of the castle grounds showed the flight of steps she'd taken beneath the southeast tower. Erin shook her head. That wouldn't do. Those steps led to the outside, and once they'd gotten themselves wet they couldn't then return indoors without leaving a trail of footprints any fogskull could follow.

The flame sputtered out against her fingers and Erin hissed, dropping the match. She lit a second, tracing a finger across the roughly drawn plan of the castle's ground floor. Her finger tapped against the parchment. There. Midway along the south wall of the castle, the servants' stairwell she'd used during her original break-in continued down below ground level. It had to lead to the undercroft. From there, it was only a short distance to the servants' wing where she could steal uniforms for them both. But how to get there? She'd gotten so turned around in this maze of passages. Knowing where they needed to go wouldn't help much if she didn't know where they were.

Erin looked over at Garrett, chewing on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. She'd never seen him consult a map once they'd begun a job, but she'd also never known him be so careless as to get lost. But Garrett was always prepared for the unexpected. His quiver was always full of assorted trick arrows he almost never used. She shook his shoulder gently. It felt like forever before Garrett stirred, his eyes flickering open. He blinked at her, trying to focus.

"Do you have a compass?"

"I … what?"

Erin pulled him toward her and set about rifling through his pockets. Garrett yelped and tried to grab at her hands but she pushed him away.

"Erin?"

She glanced up at his bewildered expression, biting back frustration. "A compass. Do you have a compass?"

"Here." Garrett winced as he brought a hand up to fumble at his harness. Erin shoved his hands away impatiently, and pulled out a flattened round leather case. She opened it to reveal a small compass dial.

"Where'd you get this?"

Garrett managed a wan smile. "I stole it."

 

****

 

They slowly threaded their way through the undercroft, guided by Garrett's compass. Erin was careful to choose the southernmost turning each time they reached an intersection. Progress was slow, and all too often they heard footsteps approaching and were forced to backtrack or hide in the various cellars and storerooms that opened at irregular intervals. Ruby trotted along at her heels, sniffing excitedly at doorways and snuffling her way into dusty corners.

Erin kept a vicelike grip on Garrett's wrist, supporting his weight across her shoulders as he leaned against her. Her eyes burned from the sweat that dripped in rivulets from her forehead, but she didn't dare let Garrett rest in case she couldn't rouse him again. Every few minutes she had to catch him as he wilted against her. Each time she was forced to stop and brace herself to support them both. Each time she shook him awake it seemed to take longer for him to respond, and longer still before he found his footing enough to resume moving.

At last they turned a corner and a flight of stairs came into view. Mindful of the nearby shouts of Watchmen as they searched the cellars, Erin bit back on her cry of relief. Instead she concentrated on dredging up a renewed burst of effort.

The servants' wing on the upper floor was deserted. Muted voices drifted up the stairs from the kitchens below, along with the maddening smell of freshly baked bread. Erin's stomach growled; it was nearly a full day since she'd eaten last. She'd have liked to have taken a detour through the kitchens to filch herself some breakfast but by now the place would be brightly lit and full of servants scurrying about. Erin swallowed back the sudden rush of saliva. She'd just have to wait. It wouldn't be long now before they were home free.

Opening a door at random revealed a long low-ceilinged dormitory. Narrow iron framed beds lined the walls, and a window at the far end provided the only source of light. A small chest sat next to each bed, both storage and night stand. Erin picked the lock on the nearest chest and lifted the lid. Rummaging through the contents revealed assorted undergarments, newspaper clippings and worthless trinkets. Erin scowled, letting the lid fall with a thunk. She searched through several of the other chests, but found nothing useful.

A tall cupboard standing against the far wall proved more useful, yielding up several piles of neatly folded uniforms. Erin dug through the contents, pulling out a dark woollen dress that looked about her size. Not bothering to change out of her thieving outfit, she slipped the dress on over the top and retied her headscarf into a shawl to sit across her shoulders. She brushed through her hair with her fingers to make herself presentable. Using a rag to wipe away the smudged kohl from around her eyes she checked her appearance in the cracked mirror that hung by the door. The pale, slightly haggard face of a house maid stared dull-eyed back at her. Perfect.

Searching through a second smaller dormitory further along the hallway Erin found several footmen's uniforms, but all proved to be much too large. Even folding the sleeves back several times did little to improve matters.

"Maybe a housemaid's dress would be more your size?" Despite growing frustration, Erin had to stifle her laughter as Garrett glared back at her from beneath the engulfing footman's jacket.

Garrett yanked the jacket off, leaving it crumpled on the bed next to where he sat. He pressed the heels of his hands to his temples, brows drawn together in a tight grimace. "This isn't going to work."

"If you've got any better ideas, now's the time."

Erin sighed, shoving the uniform back into the cupboard. Even if it had fitted him, it would have been a poor disguise. Without some kind of hat or hood, the blood in his hair would be far too conspicuous. Besides, even if the uniform could fool the castle guards, the Watchmen searching the castle already knew Garrett's face. If they were going to pull this off, she needed to get her hands on a cloak of some kind to hide his face.

Ruby pawed at her skirts, whining and begging to be picked up. Erin sighed, lifting her onto the bed where she flopped down next to Garrett, silken white hair splaying out across the blanket. She rubbed at her forehead, trying to think. She should never have come here. This whole job had been one mistake after another. It wasn't even as if they were here to steal anything valuable. Whatever they were getting paid for delivering that letter wasn't going to be anywhere near worth the trouble. What kind of idiot writes something like that anyway? It was just asking for trouble if someone found it. Especially just leaving it on the floor like that under the chair—

Erin shot to her feet, spinning to face Garrett. "We need to pay another visit to Lady Van Vernon."

"Are you insane?" Garrett drew in a sharp breath, his fingers curling inward as he screwed his eyes shut.

Erin smiled thinly. "Quite possibly"


	7. Chapter 7

Erin felt painfully exposed as she swung the disguised wall panel open and stepped out into the upper corridor. Her fingers twitched, itching to snuff out the bright flicker of the gas lamps. She ran her fingers through her hair, straightening and smoothing, tucking unruly strands beneath the white lace cap. It felt ridiculous—too light and too insubstantial after the comforting warmth of her headscarf.

Erin glanced quickly down the corridor in either direction to check for guards. No-one in sight. Good. She took hold of the velvet drape to push it aside. Behind her Ruby shuffled from foot to foot, gazing up at her eagerly.

A sharp intake of breath came from behind her. Erin let the drape fall back into place and turned to catch Garrett before he overbalanced, guiding his hand to the wall to steady himself. He laid his head against the panelling, hunched over with his eyes screwed shut. A muscle jumped in his jaw as he swallowed several times in quick succession.

Erin scowled, rubbing the backs of her fingers against her lower lip. At this rate it would be dark before they made it to Lady Van Vernon’s chambers. That serving girl had left the Lady’s hooded cloak folded on one of the chairs by the fireside. It would be perfect for hiding Garrett from the Watch. No need for stealth or climbing over the walls. With his head and face hidden they’d be able to walk out the gate under their noses without anyone stopping them. Before they even could start to think about how to get out of here, she needed to get him that cloak. Maybe she should leave Garrett somewhere safe while she went on ahead to retrieve it. She’d be able to move faster without him holding her back. The guest bedroom they’d used earlier? Until then they were stuck at this maddening snail’s pace, inching from shadow to shadow.

Erin sighed. No use whining over things she couldn’t change. She closed her eyes, focused her attention on extending her hearing, letting the sounds wash over and around her. The rhythms of the household had shifted since they last passed this way. The hissing of the gaslamps and the steady drumming of rain against the windows muffled the faint clatter of pots and pans from the kitchens below. A floorboard creaked from somewhere unseen up ahead. A few seconds later, the same board creaked again. Someone standing still, then. A guard on watch? She didn’t think so. The sound was too hesitant, too light. There was a gentle thud of wood against wood and the sound of the rain lessened. A different floorboard creaked, closer this time. Erin nodded to herself. Someone coming this way. All she had to do was swing the wall panel shut, and they’d be hidden.

She paused, biting at the inside of her cheek. Someone going about closing windows was most likely a servant. She and Garrett were stood in the doorway to the servants’ quarters. They needed to move, and quickly.

Erin tapped her fingers against Garrett’s cheek to get his attention. He opened his eyes a crack, squinting at her blearily. Rather than waste time explaining, she grabbed his elbow and pulled him stumbling after her out into the corridor. The few steps to the nearest set of drapes seemed to take forever. Another floorboard creaked softly. Erin scowled, hauling at Garrett impatiently, shoving him toward the tenuous hiding place. They didn’t have time for this.

The soft footsteps had drawn close enough to pick out above the patter of rain against glass before Erin tugged the drapes into place to conceal Garrett. She took a quick breath, letting it out with a huff of relief. With Garrett hidden, all she had to do was wait until the servant passed, then they could be on their way.

Wait—that wasn’t going to work. Even in a wealthy household like this, there would be few enough servants that they’d recognise each other. She could definitely fool the Watch, and probably the household guards as well, but there’d be no fooling the servants.

Shit.

Erin turned on her heel and strode as swiftly as she dared away down the corridor in the opposite direction, praying to any spirits that might be listening that she could turn the corner before the servant could spot her. That Garrett was lucid enough to keep silent and unseen. That she wasn’t about to run headfirst into someone else. She cursed herself for yet again having to rely on luck to save them.

As soon as she had rounded the corner to find herself alone Erin pressed herself against the wall, struggling to catch her breath as if she’d been running. After a moment’s thought, she shook her head and pushed herself upright. Acting like a thief was the fastest way to get herself caught if someone saw her loitering, no matter whose uniform she might be wearing. Instead she busied herself with adjusting the flame on the nearest gaslamp, keeping her head cocked so as to listen for the click of the hidden wall panel to the servants quarters swinging shut.

Five breaths passed, then ten, and still no sound from the panel. Erin turned back warily, tugging awkwardly at the dress to make it sit right over her leathers. Surely the servant must have reached the panel by now. The rhythm of the footsteps hadn’t slowed, so why was it taking so long?

They were coming toward her. Dammit. Erin darted to the nearest door, rattling the handle. It was unlocked. She slipped inside, swiftly pulling it closed behind her. Her forehead thumped gently against the inside of the door as she closed her eyes, letting her breath out slowly.

Inside, it was pitch dark except for a tiny thread of light falling through the keyhole. Erin took a step back from the door, coming up short as her spine thumped into the hard edge of a shelf. Cautiously she felt behind herself. Disbelieving fingers skimmed across neatly folded bed linens. A closet.

Erin held her breath as the footsteps came to a halt on the other side of the door. The light through the keyhole winked out. She grabbed for the door handle as it began to turn, holding it firmly closed.

“Locked?” A thud jolted the base of the door and the handle jiggled violently. “I bet it was the new girl. That lickspittle’s trying to make me look bad.”

Erin closed her eyes in the dark, letting her breath out slowly.

“Ruby?” There was a scrabble of blunt claws against wood and a rustle of skirts. “What are you doing out here? Lady Josephine will have my hide if anything happens to you.” Ruby’s whining disappeared around the corner as she was scooped up and carried away, the footsteps retreating back the way they’d come.

Erin strained her ears, not daring to move until she heard nothing but the rain pattering against the windows. Once she was sure no-one was near she twisted the handle and stepped back out into the deserted corridor. She quickly retraced her steps to where she’d left Garrett.

The heavy drapes still hung neatly across the shallow alcove. Erin pulled them away just enough to peer into the dim space behind. Garrett sat slumped against the foot of the wall, his head hanging forward. Something twisted in Erin's chest. She crouched beside him, shaking his shoulder.

"Garrett?" Erin kept her voice to a whisper, unsure how far the sound would carry.

Garrett's eyes flickered open slowly, his features twisting into a pained grimace. He whimpered softly and screwed his eyes shut again, trying to turn his head away from the light spilling through from the corridor. A thin trickle of blood escaped from beneath his hood, running down his cheek to soak into his mask. Erin pressed her fingers under his chin to lift it, peering at him closely. She thought he seemed even paler than before, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. Using his cloak she dabbed at the blood gently. Garrett flinched back, clutching at her wrist.

“Hey, it’s alright. Just keep still.” It took no effort for Erin to pry Garrett’s fingers loose. She squeezed his hand tight. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll get us out of here.”

Garrett stared at her blankly. “Where …?”

Trying to swallow around the lump in her throat, Erin dredged up what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “We need to keep moving. Can you stand?”

Garrett struggled to get his feet underneath him, pushing against the wall for support. Erin slipped an arm around his waist as she braced herself to take his weight. She tugged at him insistently, trying to pull him up. As they straightened Garrett let out a breathy moan, sagging against her. His knees buckled and Erin lunged to catch him as he crumpled back to the floor.

“Dammit, Garrett!”

Garrett curled in on himself, a fist clamped against his side. Erin swiftly knelt beside him, her stomach knotting at the sound of his ragged panting.

“What’s wrong? Let me see.”

Erin pulled at Garrett’s hand, a chill coursing down her spine when it came away bloody. She sucked in a breath as her throat tightened. She’d forgotten about the crossbow bolt. Had she made it worse? Her hands shook as she unclasped his cloak and tore it into strips. Erin pressed a wadded fistful of the fabric against the wound. Garrett yelped and she froze, not daring to breathe. She closed her eyes, trying to listen over the pounding of her own heart for any sign that someone had heard them.

She waited until the burning in her lungs had her gulping for air, but heard nothing beyond the steady drone of the rain pelting against the windows. Turning back to Garrett, Erin carefully wrapped the makeshift bandages around his waist to hold the cloth in place. He gasped, screwing his eyes shut, but remained silent as she tied off the ends and tucked them under the laces of his harness.

Erin rocked back on her heels, glancing left and right down the corridor. She chewed at her lip, her mind racing. Garrett could hardly weigh much more than she did but she wouldn’t be able to carry him. Not for any distance. If he couldn’t walk, they were in trouble. Not unless she could convince one of the guards to carry him. Erin snorted, ducking her head to hide the smile. No. She couldn’t worry about that now. She’d just have to improvise when the time came. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let it out slowly. The cloak. Just think about getting the cloak. Everything else would fall into place. If it didn’t—

Erin shook her head sharply, forcing her attention back to Garrett. She didn’t think it likely that she could drag him to his feet. Not without hurting him further, that was clear. She glanced up at the drapes that hung across the alcove. It was hardly ideal, but right now they were out of options. With an arm around his shoulders she helped him to shift deeper into the alcove until he lay curled on his side, his back pressed against the wall. Garrett looked up at her, confusion clear in his eyes, but he said nothing.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She rose to her feet, smoothing her dress out and checking that none of Garrett’s blood had stained the skirts. Taking hold of the drapes she arranged their folds so they fell naturally, identical to all the others that lined the corridor. As she turned the corner Erin found herself looking back, checking and rechecking that Garrett was safely out of sight. He’d be fine until she could get back to him. He was probably asleep again already, wouldn’t even notice she’d left him alone.

Erin paused at the double doors, peering through the keyhole into the castle atrium. The tangle of echoes that had confused her the previous night had grown even more complex now that the castle’s morning routine was in full swing. She could hear distant shouting from the guards and the Watch as they searched the castle, punctuated by the steady drumming of the rain falling on the domed glass ceiling. She shifted her head from side to side, able to confirm at least that the narrow arc of the balcony visible through the keyhole was clear of servants.

Taking hold of the handle, Erin slipped through the double doors and out onto the atrium balcony. Muted sunlight streamed down through the stained glass high above, bathing the stones with mottled splashes of reds and blues. Sternly reminding herself to walk normally instead of darting for the nearest shadow, she made her way to the nearest alcove. The candles had burned low, melted wax threatening to overspill the ornate sconce and drip onto the floorboards beneath. Erin shook her head. Someone was bound to come this way before long to clean away the wax and replace the candles.

Glancing sidelong across to the balcony as it curved round the far side of the atrium, Erin spotted a bored-looking guard standing watch outside Lady Van Vernon’s door. She sighed. Even if no-one had yet discovered the guard that Garrett had dealt with the previous night, she should have expected that a sentry would have been posted when the morning shift began, hours ago. There was a thief still loose in the castle, after all.

Erin fussed with the spent candles in the sconce, keeping a wary eye on the guard. He shuffled from foot to foot, metal buckles jingling softly as the sword sheathed at his side jostled against his hip. Once or twice he glanced toward her, but the indifferent gaze swept straight past her as if she weren’t even there. Erin felt the corner of her lips twitch into a smirk. It seemed her luck was returning. She could be in and out in just seconds, could steal the cloak from right under Lady Van Vernon’s nose with no-one the wiser. Garrett would be fine—they’d both be fine.

The guard looked up at her as Erin approached, his gaze flicking from head to foot and back again. She offered him a shy smile, making brief eye contact before glancing away.

“Her Ladyship sent for me.”

Receiving only an apathetic grunt in return, Erin took it as assent. She stepped around him and reached for the door.

“Hey, wait!”


	8. Chapter 8

Erin’s hand froze on the door handle. What was wrong? What had she missed? She looked round, keeping her face impassive even as icy sweat trickled down the back of her neck.

The guard was staring at her hand, his brows drawing together in a puzzled frown. Confused, Erin’s gaze dropped to follow his. At first she couldn’t fathom what had caught his attention, but then she saw it. Her gloves. Clearly visible beneath the cheap lace cuffs of her housemaid’s uniform were the soft fingerless leather gloves that had become all but a second skin to her.

Time slowed to a crawl as a cold weight settled in her stomach. The guard’s lips were moving, but whatever he said was drowned out by the ringing in her ears. She stared helplessly at him, her hand scrabbling uselessly at her hip for a blackjack that was no longer there.

Candlelight flashed off the blade as the guard drew his sword.

The world snapped back into focus. Erin darted forward, throwing her fist into the guard’s stomach. He folded and staggered forward as his sword clattered to the floor. Her hand on his shoulder yanked him sideways. She hooked her elbow around his throat from behind, forcing him to his knees. The guard spluttered, flailing wildly as he tried to grab her. Erin leaned her full weight into him, grabbing her wrist with her free hand to tighten the choke hold.

It felt like forever before the guard’s struggles finally ebbed. He gurgled once, his hands falling limp to the carpet. Erin collapsed on top of him, panting.

As soon as the black spots in front of her eyes faded and the floor stopped heaving, Erin lifted her head and looked around. She clung to the balcony railing and pulled herself up, peering over the edge. There were no shouts, no running feet. She breathed a sigh of relief, turning to lean against the railing as she eyed the guard who lay sprawled at her feet. He was still breathing. Good.

There were no shadows out here, nowhere to hide a body. Erin shook her head. She would have to take him with her. She twisted the handle until the door opened a crack. Crouching to retrieve the sword she tucked it through her apron strings. Leaving it lying around for someone to trip over would betray her presence as quickly as someone finding the body. The guard was a full head taller than her and heavily built. Erin grunted with effort as she flopped his deadweight over and sat him up so she could reach her arms around him from behind. The guard’s heels scuffed a shallow furrow into the carpet as Erin dragged him through the door behind her.

The bedchamber was dimly lit by a shaft of sunlight from the far window, partially blocked by the wooden brace still fastened across the frame. Ruby lay flopped on her side in front of the fire that crackled in the grate. She breathed quiet chuffing sounds as she stretched, her short stubby legs splayed out to expose the largest possible expanse of belly to the warmth. The warm glow from the fire bathed the circle of chairs drawn up around the hearthrug, casting a ring of flickering shadows that splayed outward across the floor. One of the shadows reached to retrieve a teacup from the table nearby. Erin froze, not daring to move until the cup clinked back into its saucer and Lady Van Vernon bent her head over the book propped open in her lap.

Erin gently eased the guard down, careful to slip her hand under his helmet to prevent it from striking the floor. She left him sprawled just inside the door, wary of scraping his boot heels across the boards. Her hand clenched in the fabric of her skirt as she glanced over at the bathroom door, then back to the guard at her feet. A tight thread of uncertainty coiled in her chest, her thoughts chasing themselves in circles. She couldn’t move the guard without Lady Van Vernon hearing her, but she equally couldn’t leave him here. If the Lady looked up there was no chance she’d miss seeing the body.

Erin bunched up her skirts with one hand, reaching for the blackjack strapped to her thigh beneath. The thought of assaulting a noblewoman had her wincing but she didn’t have any choice—she’d have to take her out. Besides, if she and Garrett were caught here they’d already face the hangman’s noose. Assuming the castle guards didn’t just kill them on sight. The Watch could hardly hang them twice. Clutching the blackjack tightly in her shaking fist, she padded softly over to the ring of chairs.

The fire spat a brief scatter of sparks as the coals shifted, one or two tumbling forward to rest against the fireguard. Ruby let out a startled yip as her head snapped up. Erin dashed toward the nearest chair. She was only halfway to safety when Ruby looked round. For an agonising heartbeat their gazes locked. Erin shook her head as she silently begged Ruby to turn away. To lie down. To do anything at all. Anything except—

Ruby jumped to her feet and threw herself at Erin, erupting into a string of excited barks. Erin cringed and flung a hand out in a vain attempt to ward her off. A soft wet tongue licked at her outstretched fingers. Paralysed, Erin could only watch as Lady Van Vernon’s horrified stare slid past her to fix on the unconscious guard lying just inside the door. Blue eyes widened.

“Wait! Please, don’t—”

The high-pitched scream jolted Erin. She clapped her hands over her ears. Her blackjack thudded onto the rug. Ruby yelped and dived under the nearest chair.

“Stay back! Stay away from me!” Lady Van Vernon’s voice rose shrilly. She scrambled to her feet. She clung to the back of the chair, shielding herself from Erin.

Shit. _Shit_.

A distant voice shouted. They flinched. Erin’s fingers twisted in her hair. Her gaze darted around the room. Bathroom? She’d be trapped. Again. The muffled drumming of booted feet on floorboards grew louder. The window? Barred, still. Ice flashed through her, sending her stumbling to one side. She couldn’t breathe.

The letter! Casting around for the crumpled paper Erin spotted it still lying on the floor. She snatched the letter up in a shaking hand. Two strides and she thrust it in Lady Van Vernon’s face.

“Send them away.”

“Don’t hurt me!”

Erin grabbed a fistful of blonde ringlets and yanked her forward, pulling her head down to her level.

“Do as I say and you won’t get hurt.” Erin dropped her voice to a harsh whisper, feeling the woman quake against her.

Lady Van Vernon nodded quickly. Her hand fluttered close to her head trying to ease the pressure on her scalp.

“Make them leave. Or your husband will learn exactly what his wife’s been up to behind his back. Do you understand?”

“Yes! Anything! Please, don’t hurt me.”

Erin shoved her away. Stuffing the crumpled letter into her apron pocket she bolted for the door where the guard lay, nearly tripping over the sword that still hung at her side. She grabbed for the leather belt and tugged. He slid a few inches until something caught. The boards vibrated under her feet. The metal scrape of a blade being drawn grated her ears. Out of time.

Erin threw her weight backwards as she heaved at the guard. Her lips pulled back into a snarl, hissing through gritted teeth as she struggled to pull him toward her. Just as she thought her shoulders would break from the strain she heard something tear free. The buckles of his armour and sword belt left behind arcing scratches across the floorboards as she dragged him against the wall behind the door. Erin caught herself against the wall to avoid collapsing on top of the body for a second time. She fought to slow her ragged gasps, locking her knees as the patterned wallpaper jumped and wavered. Dark spots pulsed in and out of her vision in time with the throbbing in her temples.

The door crashed open. Erin barely had time to kick the guard’s legs away from its path. She bit back a yelp as the doorhandle slammed into her side. She pushed herself away from the wall, making sure to step in front of the body. As surreptitiously as she could manage, she slipped the swordhilt free of her apron strings and laid it on the floor behind the door.

“Your Ladyship! Are you alright?”

Lady Van Vernon twisted her fingers together and swallowed, glancing over to Erin. She glared back.

“Y-yes. Everything is well.” She offered the guard Captain a weak smile

“We heard screaming from in here.”

Two more guards peered in through the door from behind the Captain. One of them eyed Erin suspiciously. She quickly put her hands behind her back before he spotted her gloves.

“I, um … There was a—a mouse.”

“A mouse.” Sceptical amusement coloured the dry tone.

“It startled me.”

The Captain sheathed his blade, resting a mailed hand on the hilt. “As you say, your Ladyship. By your leave?”

One by one the guards filed out of the room. The door swung shut, leaving the two of them alone. Lady Van Vernon grabbed for the back of the chair, letting her head hang forward as she exhaled heavily.

“They’re gone. I did what you wanted.”

Erin rubbed her palm against her forehead, screwing her eyes shut. Now what? Someone knew she was here. No-one ever saw them on a job—Garrett was always so careful to make sure that this never happened. Garrett had never taught her what to do if someone saw her. This was bad. They couldn’t risk letting her raise the alarm, that was clear. But she couldn’t attack her now, not without risking another ear-splitting scream. Dammit, why didn’t Garrett tell her how to handle this?

“Are you here to kill me?” Erin blinked, her hand stilling and then falling away. The timid stammer was gone, to be replaced by something altogether more calculating. She looked up to find Lady Van Vernon watching her intently. The fingers of one delicately manicured hand dug white-knuckled into the chair cushions. “What do you want? My jewels? Take them.”

She opened her mouth to respond but the words died on her tongue. Something cold and wet pressed against her palm and she flinched. Ruby scrabbled at her skirt, whining.

“No. You’re not here to steal. You’re the intruder they’ve been searching for since last night.” The blue eyes narrowed, fixing on her in a way that reminded Erin uncomfortably of a cat tracking its prey. She fought the urge to step back as Lady Van Vernon approached, trailing a nailtip across each chairback in turn as she passed them. “A thief would have fled hours ago. Why are you really here?”

Erin clenched the letter in her fist, holding it in front of her like a shield. Lady Van Vernon came to a halt a few steps away. Her gaze flicked down to the letter and then back up to Erin.

“I’m here for the cloak. Nothing else.”

“My cloak.” Erin nodded. “And why would that be?”

“I—” Her breath caught and she looked away. This wasn’t right. She was supposed to be in control, not … whatever this was. She shook her head. She didn’t have time to worry about that.  “It doesn’t matter why I need it.”

A soft chuckle. “Tell me why you need my cloak and it’s yours.”

“My—” Her what? Her teacher? Her friend? Brother? “My … my partner needs it. So we can leave.”

“Really. And what business brought you and your partner here?”

Erin flexed her fingers to rustle the letter in her hand. “Who do you think brought you this?”

“I thought perhaps he had bribed one of the servants.” Lady Van Vernon smiled. It was not a friendly smile. “You have done me a service, then. I’m sure you must be anxious to leave as quickly as possible.”

“And the cloak?”

An appraising gaze swept Erin up and down. “Tell me, why can you not leave by whatever means you arrived? Why do you need that uniform, and my cloak?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“My dear girl, it never is.”

Erin let her breath out slowly. “He was injured by your guards. We need a different route.”

Lady Van Vernon turned away, waving a hand dismissively. “The cloak is yours. I must warn you, though. If you intend to use it to conceal your partner from my husband’s guards, you will not get far on your own.”

“Why’s that?” Erin folded her arms over the knot in her stomach.

“This is an expensive cloak, my dear. You and the rest of the low-born may be used to dragging your heels through the mud, but a noblewoman has a reputation to uphold.” The wardrobe door shut with a decisive _click_. She looked up as Lady Van Vernon held the hooded cloak out to her. “Perhaps you might allow me to suggest an alternative?”

“I’m listening.”

“Allow me to call for my carriage. It will shield you from prying eyes, and protect my reputation from whatever you and your partner intend after you are gone from here.”

Erin frowned, tapping a finger against her cheek. A carriage would certainly make it easier for them to get back out through the Watch Gate to Greystone Plaza. It would be faster as well, if they weren’t to be limited by how quickly Garrett could move. A carriage would be perfect for them. She eyed the cloak suspiciously. It was too perfect; there had to be a catch.

“Why are you doing this? What’s in it for you?”

That same soft chuckle grated against her ears. “I’m sure you’ll agree it’s in both our interests for you and your partner to depart the castle as quickly as possible. Do you not agree?”

Erin nodded reluctantly. This felt wrong. She shouldn’t be trusting a stranger like this. Garrett was going to be furious with her when he found out. But what choice did they have? Besides, it wasn’t as if Garrett was going to have any tricks that could get them out. This time it was up to her to save them. Even he wouldn’t be able to criticise her once they were safely away.

“Excellent.” Lady Van Vernon held her hand out expectantly. “If you would be so good as to return my property, I will summon the carriage for you.”

She closed her fist tighter around the letter, taking a step back. “Not until I have the cloak and the carriage.”

“As you wish. While you return with your partner I will summon the carriage. We can exchange my cloak for the letter, and then we will both be satisfied.”

“Agreed.”

****

Ruby trotted along at Erin’s heels as she slipped back across the balcony, the letter tucked safely into her apron pocket. Garrett wasn’t going to be happy but it was the best option they had. Erin shook her head. It wasn’t as if they had much of an alternative. He’d understand, even though it broke every rule he’d taught her. No, this was best.

A quick glance left and right to make sure the corridor was empty, and Erin strode toward the alcove where she’d hidden Garrett. She’d probably have to wake him again, but he’d be fine. Probably hadn’t even noticed she’d left him. They only had to hang on a little while longer and then they’d be safely out. Erin smiled to herself. She’d done it.

Erin knelt, pulling the drapes aside. A cold wave crashed over her as she stared at the bloody handprint smeared across the wood panelling. The alcove was empty.


	9. Chapter 9

Erin ran a fingertip lightly across the panelling just below the bloodstain. Had they caught Garrett? The guards that burst into Lady Van Vernon’s bedroom might have passed this way after they left. She closed her eyes, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. If they’d found Garrett he’d never stand a chance. He could barely walk, let alone run. There’d be no need to wait for the Watch to arrive this time; they were already here and searching the castle. She’d have no opportunity to come to his rescue. If Garrett had got himself caught there was nothing she could do to help him. Not without giving herself away. And then she’d hang with him.

Rocking back on her heels Erin rose to her feet, ignoring Ruby’s pushing past her to sniff at the smeared blood. She couldn’t stay here worrying about Garrett until someone found her. That wouldn’t help either of them. She clenched her fist, nails digging into her palm. She should worry about herself first. Her maid’s uniform was effective enough a disguise, and without Garrett to slow her down she could walk out the front gate without being questioned. Without Garrett she had no need for cloak or carriage, nothing forcing her to keep to the desperate bargain she’d struck with Lady Van Vernon.

Blunt claws clicked a staccato rhythm against the floorboards as Ruby sniffed at something near the wall a little way along the corridor.

Garrett would understand. He’d do the same if their positions were reversed. Wouldn’t he? It wasn’t as if he’d ever cared what happened to her. She’d never been more than a hindrance to him—he’d made that plenty clear enough.

Erin let her head drop forward, drawing in a slow breath before letting it out with a sigh. Garrett didn’t want her following him around—he’d said as much to Basso before she got them into this mess. He didn’t trust her to not screw everything up. So far she’d proven him right. If he hadn’t come looking for her she’d be swinging from a noose already, no longer his problem.

Except—if that were true, why was Garrett even here? He’d come after her, and he’d gotten her out. It wasn’t until they’d tried to climb over the wall that everything had gone to shit. Erin stopped in her tracks, her gaze drawn back to the handprint. The wall. Garrett had sent her over the wall first. She’d escaped the guards’ notice, but only because he’d sent her over first. He always took the lead on a job, but for once he’d hung back—and gotten caught for it.

Ruby let out a high-pitched whine, pawing at Erin’s skirts. Erin shoved her away with the flat of her foot. She didn’t have time to waste pandering to some useless toy dog.

Decision made, Erin tugged the drapes back into place to hide the bloodstain. If the Watch had finally captured their Master Thief, they wouldn’t be able to resist boasting about their achievement. They’d make sure the whole of Dayport heard the ruckus as they dragged him out the front gate and in the commotion she’d be able to follow them. There had to be something she could do.

 

****

 

Erin retraced her steps along the corridor, ignoring Ruby’s frantic whines trailing behind. Not bothering to take the time to peer through the keyhole she shoved the doors open. The crack of brass handles slamming into stone walls echoed back at her from the atrium skylight. The sounds from the rest of the castle abruptly ceased. Silence stretched out for several heartbeats. An unseen voice shouted something from the floor below, and the muted hubbub slowly crept back.

On the far side of the balcony, a pair of double doors led out to the main entrance hall on the north side of the castle. As Erin reached for the handles Ruby began yapping from some distance further back along the balcony. Erin shook her head. If Ruby got left behind, so much the better. The wretched dog had given them nothing but trouble from the beginning. She pulled one of the doors open a crack to peer through.

Ruby yapped again, scratching at something. Erin turned to see her sniffing along the bottom of the door to the guest bedroom she and Garrett had used for their initial escape. They should have knocked the mutt out with a blackjack instead of letting it tag along with them. Had it only been last night? She felt as if they’d been trapped in the castle for days.

The series of high-pitched barks had her cringing. She needed to silence the taffing dog before it ruined everything yet again. Ruby sat back on her haunches and stared pleadingly at Erin. Easing the double doors closed again Erin made her way back along the balcony. Ruby threw herself at the door, scrabbling blunt claws against the wood.

“Get away from there!”

Erin dragged Ruby away from the bedroom door. What was so fascinating about it anyway? The guard Garrett stashed in there last night should have woken and left hours ago—there was nothing in there.

Ruby whined again and Erin snatched her up where she couldn’t cause any more trouble. Letting Ruby snuggle into the crook of her arm, Erin rubbed a silken ear between thumb and forefinger until finally she quieted.

Had she heard something?

Erin held her breath, waiting, a hand pressed to Ruby’s muzzle to hush her. Again. Louder this time. An indrawn breath—a gasp. Somewhere close by.

Shifting her grip on Ruby until she could hold her tucked under one arm, Erin cautiously eased open the door to the guest bedroom. At first glance the room was as she remembered. The sun hadn’t yet warmed this side of the castle and the room was cool, but the deep red of the bedspread and matching rug seemed almost to glow in the dim light. There didn’t seem to be anyone in here. Maybe she’d been mistaken.

Something fell with a sharp thud on the far side of the room.

Erin reached for her blackjack, only to find it missing. She’d forgotten to retrieve it—it must still be where she’d dropped it in Lady Van Vernon’s bedroom. Drawing her dagger instead she slipped into the room, shutting the door behind her. Once she found Garrett there’d be no need for them to pass this way again. He didn’t need to know.

The window still swung open from their escape last night, thudding lightly against the frame as it swung in the wind. Carrying Ruby and climbing one-handed Garrett hadn’t been able to close it after himself as they left, as he’d normally insist on doing. The rope arrow they’d used was still embedded in the eaves above the window.

Blood. Smeared across the window sill, streaking down the wall below. That hadn’t been there before. Ruby whined softly and Erin shushed her, fingers tightening around the hilt of her dagger as she stepped lightly across the rug. A dark shadow sprawled at the foot of the wall beneath the window.

“Garrett!”

Groaning softly, Garrett braced an elbow against the wall and struggled to rise. Ruby yelped as she fell onto the rug, immediately followed by the thud of Erin’s dagger. Erin dropped to her knees at Garrett’s side.

“Garrett? What are you doing here?”

His gaze flickered upward as she spoke, but she didn’t like the blank look in his eyes. Garrett tried to push her away, but she grabbed his hand and held it.

“Garrett?”

He didn’t respond, his unfocused gaze sliding off to the side. She tugged at his hand as she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

Garrett blinked at her. “Erin?”

“No, it’s Basso.” Erin raised an eyebrow. “Who do you think?”

“But … why? When did …” Garrett pulled his hand free and reached for her. Pressing two fingers to her cheek he turned her head to the side. “Are you hurt?”

“Stop that.” She knocked his hand away and wiped at her cheek with the back of one glove. “You’re covered in blood.”

Garrett looked down at himself, hissing softly through his teeth as he touched his hand to his hip. Erin shifted forward to get a better look, wary of staining her stolen uniform. The dark woollen dress might not show a little blood as long as no-one looked too closely, but any marks on the white apron would draw attention like diamonds on a dockfrock.

The bandages were soaked through with fresh blood, but there was little she could do about it here. She’d already torn Garrett’s cloak to pieces to bind his wound the last time, and she had nothing else to hand.

“Don’t move, or you’ll make it worse.”

Erin rose to her feet and scanned the bedroom, searching for anything she could use. The bed was made up, but the room was largely empty. Clearly no-one was expecting guests imminently. The wardrobe in the corner was bare, other than a set of feather pillows heaped on the shelf above the brass hanging rail. Those were no good.

She turned as excited whining came from behind her. Ruby pranced from foot to foot beside her on the rug, tail quivering and teeth clenched around the dagger hilt.

“Give that back.” Erin snatched for her dagger. Ruby darted sideways and disappeared under the bed. Kneeling beside the bed she flailed at Ruby, trying to grab hold of her. “Stupid mutt.”

“Erin,” Garrett had made it as far as his knees, clutching at the windowsill with shaking hands, leaving a second red streak up the wall as he dragged himself upright, “stop messing around. Time to go.”

Erin stared at him, a hollow pit opening up in her stomach. “Are you joking?”

Garrett ignored her in favour of bracing his elbows against the windowsill. He reached for the dangling rope, but the wind caught the unravelled strands and he fell short. Gripping hold of the window frame he leaned out further.

“Garrett, wait!” Erin jumped to her feet, stumbling over the unfamiliar skirts. “You can’t—”

Blood-slick fingers slipped from the frame.

She lunged for him, snagging the back of his hood as he toppled forward. Garrett coughed and hacked, clutching for his throat as she yanked at him. Erin’s boots skidded on the bloodstained floorboards and for an instant of blind terror she was certain he would drag both of them out headfirst. She yelped as she crashed into the windowsill. Heart thumping, Erin dragged Garrett back inside where they collapsed in a heap on the floor.

“Dammit, get off! You’re getting blood all over me.” She shoved at him.

Garrett managed to get his feet under himself enough to roll off to the side and let Erin scramble to her feet. Her dress was still salvageable but the apron was ruined, the scarlet streaks more suited to a slaughterhouse than a wealthy household. Tearing it away before it stained the dress even further, she used it as a rag to wipe her bloody hands more or less clean. Without an apron the housemaid’s uniform was useless as a disguise, thanks to Garrett. They’d have to return to the servants’ quarters to find her a new one.

She sighed. “Are you going to stay down this time or do you want a second try at killing us both?”

Garrett narrowed his eyes. She’d have felt more intimidated if he were glaring at her rather than somewhere over her left shoulder. The glare faltered and broke as he flinched. Ruby nudged her head against his hand a second time, worming her way closer into Garrett’s side.

Erin turned away. She needed to work on getting them out, not on playing with that useless furball. At least it was keeping Garrett distracted for the moment. She rubbed the back of her hand over her forehead as she tried to collect her thoughts. She’d found Garrett before the guards killed him—or he managed to kill himself—but what next? She wasn’t sure whatever had possessed him to try escaping on his own, but it was clear that leaving Garrett alone wasn’t safe. As if they didn’t have enough problems. She threw a glare of her own at Garrett, but he wasn’t even paying attention to her. Too busy fending Ruby away from licking his face. Bloody dog.

Literally.

Erin bit her lip and turned away to hide the snigger. She needed to get control of herself—this wasn’t funny. This was a problem. Ruby’s silky white fur had already acquired a red tinge where it dragged through the blood smeared across the floor. No doubt there’d be even worse of a mess where she was rubbing up against Garrett. A few tangles were easy enough to overlook if no-one was paying much attention to her, but it would be impossible to come up with a plausible explanation for why Lady Van Vernon’s toy dog was covered in blood. Given how the stupid mutt insisted on following them about, she needed to find some way of disguising or getting rid of the stains.

At least with Ruby distracted and begging Garrett to pet her, Erin could retrieve her dagger in peace. It lay abandoned further back than she could easily reach, forcing her to wriggle halfway under the bed before her fingers brushed the blade. Once out she untangled herself from her skirts before climbing to her feet. She hadn’t worn dresses in some years, not since becoming Garrett’s apprentice, and she’d lost the knack. How could anyone move in this? She sat on the edge of the bed and flopped backward to lie sideways across the mattress, scowling up at the ceiling as she tried to figure out their next move.

“Erin?” Ruby’s tail thumping against the floor nearly drowned out Garrett’s strained whisper.

She let out a huff, scrubbing a hand over her face. “Stay down, Garrett. At least until I bind that hole in your side.”

No response.

Erin sat up to glare at him but he had his eyes screwed shut, head hanging forward as he clutched at his side. It wasn’t just the crossbow wound that worried her—tearing his hood loose had renewed the oozing trickle from the side of his head. She wasn’t sure if the blow to his head had come from the fall or the beating from the guards, but whatever had caused it, the damage seemed to be getting worse.

Sliding off the bed, she knelt beside him, avoiding the bloodstain on the floor. “Let me see.”

She ran her fingertips gingerly through his hair, ignoring the hiss and flinch as she encountered the lump. It didn’t feel any different from how she’d last seen it, though it wasn’t as if she had the faintest clue what she was looking for.

“Does that hurt?”

Garrett opened his eyes a crack to glare at her. “What do you think?”

“Me?” She couldn’t resist smirking at him. Not that she tried particularly hard to hold back. “I think you’re crabby and sore because you nearly got us killed, and for once you can’t blame it on me.”

“I … what? Are you hurt?”

Erin released his head to knock his hand away. “Since when did you care?”

“Erin?”

Narrowing her eyes, Erin peered at him more closely. Despite the open window, the room was nowhere near cold enough to justify his shivering, or the clammy skin. She tugged his mask down, searching his face, though she wasn’t sure quite for what. The glare had faded, and now he just seemed … lost? Something inside quietly crumbled, leaving her off-balance, unsteady.

“You can’t go anywhere whilst you’re still bleeding. Can you stay down while I look for something to bind it?”

Garrett’s gaze slipped past her to scan the room. “Bedsheet.”

“Won’t it be too obvious?” Erin turned to contemplate the bed, clearly visible from the door.

Even with the way his breath hitched and his hand tightened against his side, the soft laugh sent warmth through her. “So don’t use the top one.”

The fine cotton of the bedsheet was smooth and cool to the touch, and the dagger blade slid easily through the fabric. Erin sliced it into strips—far more than she expected she’d need, but she wanted to keep some in reserve in case he bled through again. Once she was done she tugged the dark red coverlet back over the top and smoothed it down until a casual glance would see nothing amiss.

She didn’t bother removing the soaked remnants of Garrett’s cloak before winding fresh bandages over the top. Basso could deal with the whole mess once they got back safely. It was a good thing that they’d have the hooded cloak and a carriage to take them home. The white bedsheet was much more conspicuous than the dark fabric of Garrett’s cloak—he’d glow in the dark just as bad as Ruby. She wadded up the apron again to wipe their hands more or less clean. Pushing his hands away and ignoring the yelp, she dabbed it carefully against Garrett’s side to blot away the worst of the blood from his leathers. Once done she tossed it away under the bed. They’d be long gone before anyone found it.

“What the bells were you thinking?” Likely not the best time to antagonise him, but, dammit, this couldn’t wait. Escaping was hard enough already without Garrett trying to kill them both.

“Erin?”

“Why didn’t you stay put?”

Garrett bit back a whimper as he tried to push himself up from the floor. Erin steadied him, helping him shift backward until he could sit leaning against the wall. She waited but he just stared at her. She wasn’t sure if he was refusing to answer, or had simply forgotten the question.

“Dammit, Garrett.” The words spilled out all of a rush before she could snatch them back. Had he even thought of her at all? “Did you really plan to slip away by yourself and leave me here?”

“When … when did you get here? Why did—”

“Garrett?” Unease prickled across her scalp. This was the last thing they needed. “What happened? What’s the last thing you remember?”

He dropped his gaze to the floor, brows furrowed as he studied the bloodied floorboards. Ruby plunked herself down next to him and whined until he rested his hand at the scruff of her neck.

“I … the wall? She … she …” He trailed off, hand clenched in Ruby’s fur.

“Ruby.”

“Ruby? She wouldn’t leave, she … the guards heard.” His fingers relaxed, combing through Ruby’s fur where he’d mussed it. The pinched mask softened as he looked up at Erin, meeting her eyes briefly before glancing away again. “You were safe.”

Erin touched her hand to her cheek to disguise the flush of heat. The way he’d looked at her, it seemed like—no, that couldn’t be right. He’d never even hinted she was anything but a burden and a disappointment. Had she been wrong?

“You thought you were alone.”

Garrett nodded carefully. He let out a slow breath as he leaned his head back against the wall. “You were safe. Why did … why come back?”

“And leave you behind?” He’d expected her to abandon him, he thought that little of her? Erin shifted uncomfortably, a sour thread coiling in her stomach. She’d been close to it.

He shrugged. “You were safe.”

As if it were that simple, like that explained everything. A twinge of pain shot through her hand. She unclenched her fingers, glancing down at her palm to find traces of blood where her nails had broken the skin. No. She was only an apprentice to him, and an unwanted one at that. But the way he’d looked at her—like she was more. Like he cared.

She couldn’t think about it now. She had to get him home safely, or none of this would matter.

“We can’t stay here. Can you stand?” Erin shifted to Garrett’s uninjured side before crouching to offer him her arm.

He blinked up at her just long enough for her to worry he wouldn’t respond, but eventually took her hand. Wary of repeating Garrett’s collapse out in the corridor earlier, Erin let him control how fast they went and concentrated only on bracing herself to support his weight.

Once on his feet Garrett clung to her, visibly unsteady, but staying more or less upright. As long as nothing else went wrong … she almost wanted to laugh at herself. Of course something else would go wrong. It always did, and then she’d improvise. The sick tension gripping her eased a fraction. That’s what he’d always told her—improvise. Maybe she should have listened sooner.

She glanced at Garrett, her throat tightening at the pained grimace, the stiff and brittle way he held himself. Keeping an arm around him to steady him, she pulled his hood up and settled the fabric mask back over his face. He said nothing, but the way his gaze flicked to hers and held it for just a moment, he didn’t have to.

Erin settled his arm across her shoulders and forced a smile, hoping she looked more confident than she felt. “We’re heading for the servants’ quarters. It’s out of our way, but not far.”

She tugged at him but he didn’t move.

“Garrett, come on. I need to replace the uniform you’ve ruined, and you’re a mess. We need to get you cleaned up. And Ruby as well. Can’t have her following us looking like we dragged her through an abbatoir.”

Garrett sighed. “That … that’s a terrible idea. Have you even—”

“I know, I know.” Erin waved him away with an irritated flick of her fingers. “I’m too impatient and too inexperienced and, well … I’m not you. But on the other hand, you just fell out the window. Your judgement is pretty terrible right now.”

“Erin—”

“Garrett, right now I’m in charge. I’ll get us out of here. Once we’re home then you can lecture me all you want. I might even listen to you this time. Deal?”

Hidden behind his mask she couldn’t see his expression, but the corners of his eyes crinkled the slightest fraction.

“Deal.”


	10. Chapter 10

Getting the blood out of Ruby’s fur wasn’t nearly so easy as Erin had expected, and the longer they dithered the more certain she was that someone would stumble into them. Either the Watch would blunder through, or one of the servants would sneak off work whilst no-one was looking. The dormitories she’d searched the last time they’d been through here held nothing more substantial than a wash basin. Not nearly enough to do more than re-wet the blood drying tacky into Ruby's coat.

A careful search through all the keyholes, and then she was pushing Garrett into what had to be the smallest, most cramped bathroom she’d ever seen. Even Basso’s place had more room to breathe than this. She couldn’t quite have stretched out to touch both walls at once, but it was close. Drab and poky it might be, the room boasted a bathtub and a stack of towels. It wasn’t as if a pretty view would have rinsed the blood off any faster.

She cleaned and rebound Garrett’s crossbow wound using fresh strips of bedsheet, and took the opportunity to stuff the blood-sodden rags under the heap of wet towels. No-one so much as putting a head round the door could miss seeing them, but it wasn’t as if the shredded remains of Garrett’s cloak would tell the Watch anything they didn’t already know. Just so long as she got them out and safe before anyone stumbled over the bloodstained disaster she’d left behind. Back to relying on luck. Dammit!

Erin checked both ways along the corridor as she swung shut the disguised panel hiding the passage to the servants’ quarters. No sign of anyone, so far as she could tell. Nothing but the patter of rain against the window glass. Lighter than before. Maybe it was letting up? With the Watch no longer huddled indoors the streets would be more dangerous, but she could improvise. Once they made it to Stonemarket they could see about stealing Garrett a less conspicuous cloak. In his current state he’d make a convincing drunkard.

Ruby milled in circles around their heels, glossy white coat now dyed a delicate shade of pink. It was far from perfect, but the best Erin could manage at short notice. Still, it should be enough to avoid suspicion so long as no-one looked too closely. Maybe she could claim Lady Van Vernon was setting some kind of new fashion trend.

Peering carefully over the balcony railing in the atrium revealed Elspeth the maid scrubbing the Watch’s muddy bootprints off the tiles in the hall below, but otherwise the castle was quiet. Nothing to suggest the search was close by. With luck they’d gone back to searching the undercroft again. She was glad to see no-one had yet replaced the guard outside Lady Van Vernon’s door. She’d have stood no chance of taking someone out with Garrett dragging her down, but she didn’t dare leave him alone again. Dappled spots of colour filtering through the stained glass dome offered little hint of just how much time they’d already wasted.

The closer they drew to the bedroom door, the more Erin’s stomach coiled itself into knots. Garrett wasn’t going to like this. She’d messed up. She’d let someone see her. Garrett would never keep her as his apprentice once he knew. She froze, fingers white-knuckled around the handle.

“Garrett, look. I—”

Caught off-guard by the sudden stop Garrett stumbled into her, a hiss escaping from behind his mask. Erin let go the door handle to steady him, glancing warily over the railing to make sure they hadn’t been heard.

“Just hold on. We’re nearly there.”

Garrett eyed the door before turning to her with a dubious expression. Erin winced in anticipation of the lecture that just had to follow, but he said nothing. Somehow that almost felt worse. Letting out a slow breath she twisted the handle and let the door swing open.

The spill of sunlight had moved a considerable distance across the floorboards since the last time she was here. And just how badly had she fucked up that she’d been back twice? _Twice._ A thief never returns to the scene of a crime—how many times had Garrett told her that? She’d never listened. Why hadn’t she listened? Lady Van Vernon had returned to her chair near the fireside, head bent over her book. Firelit highlights glowed in her hair, blonde ringlets transformed to strands of curled gold. Garrett stiffened. Erin offered him what she hoped was a reassuring smile and pulled him over the threshold. He tried to tug her back into the safety of the shadows, but succeeded only at stifling the yelp as she jerked him back, harder than she’d intended. Before he could recover enough balance to fight her again she dragged him deeper into the room.

Ruby trotted across the room and thumped herself down in the middle of the rug. She let out a contented _whuff_ and rolled onto her side to display her belly to the heat from the fire. Lady Van Vernon glanced over. Slowly and deliberately she closed her book.

“You took your time. Did you get lost?”

Erin refused to flinch as the sharp gaze raked them over.

“I see the problem. My husband’s guards earned their keep for once. A little too well, perhaps.”

“Erin …” Garrett murmured under his breath as his free hand edged toward his blackjack.

Erin shook her head sharply, hoping Garrett would follow her lead for once. He quieted, gaze flicking from her to Lady Van Vernon and back again.

“You promised a carriage. Where is it?” Erin fought to keep her voice steady, painfully aware of Garrett’s indrawn breath beside her. She tightened her grip to stop him bolting.

Lady Van Vernon set her book on the chair and stood. “There was little point in summoning anything until you and your partner returned. Especially since you took such an age over it. If the coachman brought it around and you were still off robbing my husband blind? What then?”

The dismissive tone was far too close to the poorly disguised condescension Garrett used with her all too often. Erin scowled and resisted the urge to shuffle her feet.

“Fine. Call it now.” Erin steered Garrett toward the bathroom as Lady Van Vernon reached for the bell pull. She couldn’t risk them getting seen by a servant now. Not so close to safety.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, Garrett shoved her away. He stumbled at the loss of support, but caught himself against the wall.

“What the hell just happened?”

“Sit down before you fall down. You have to trust me.”

Garrett glared at her but accepted the help as she eased him down to sit with his back against the wall. “And you trust her? I taught you better than this, Erin.”

“Fine. You taught me better. But did you _teach_ me how to save your scrawny hide when you get hurt? You can’t run. You can’t climb. Goddammit, Garrett, you can barely walk! How the hell do I get your arse over the wall while you’re bleeding everywhere?”

“Improvise.”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing. Look!” Erin shoved the crumpled letter in his face. “She won’t dare betray us, not while I’m holding this. She needs us gone just as badly as we need out of here.”

Garrett blinked dully at the letter, making no move to take it.

“It’s the whole reason we’re in this mess. She breathes a word to the guards, and Lord Van Vernon learns just how faithful his pretty wife isn’t. She’ll be ruined.” Erin thumped down beside him and leaned her head back against the wall. “We made a deal, Garrett. Please, for once just trust me. You can yell at me later.”

He huffed but made no further reply. Taking it as victory, Erin let out a slow breath as some of the tension drained out of her. She dropped her head back against the wall as she glanced around the bathroom. Little had changed since she’d trapped herself here last night. Other than the guard she’d knocked out earlier. He was still out cold, tied hand and foot with—Erin blinked and shifted closer to get a better look—the sash from a dressing gown? She shrugged. It made sense, she supposed. If the guard were to wake and raise the alarm before she and Garrett were safely away, not only would they face the noose but Lady Van Vernon would be ruined also when the Watch discovered the letter. Erin would make certain of it. With grudging respect she was forced to admit she should have thought of it herself. Garrett would have, she was sure.

Within minutes Garrett’s head had tipped forward, his fingers stilling in the scruff of Ruby’s neck as the shallow hitch in his breathing evened out. Erin prodded his shoulder. She couldn’t risk Garrett losing track of himself again until they were safe. “Stay with me. You can rest later.”

Garrett gingerly explored the fresh trickle of blood at his temple and winced as his fingertips encountered the wound.

“How bad is it?”

His scowl was answer enough.

Erin fingered the clasp on her pouch where she’d stowed the remaining strips of torn bedsheet. It was probably best to leave it be. He’d be fine—it just had to hold until she got him to Basso. Garrett was silent a long moment, unfocused gaze roving across the floor. Erin rubbed at her temples, waiting for the lecture. He’d send her away, she just knew it. No point wasting his time on an ungrateful brat who refused to listen. It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if he wanted nothing to do with her. Even if he hated her. Just as long as they made it out in one piece.

“Why …?”

Erin looked up, startled. “Why the carriage?”

Garrett nodded.

“I didn’t expect the carriage, to be honest. All I wanted was to get you a cloak, but well,” Erin waved a hand in a vague gesture in the hope it could somehow convey everything without having to admit just how royally she’d messed up, “that didn’t work out so well. I had to improvise.”

“A cloak.”

Erin leaned forward to peer at Garrett. That flat note was creeping back into his voice again. Was that a bad sign? “I needed something to hide your face from the guards, but I … I got caught. I had to make a deal. She gets the letter, we get a cloak and a carriage.”

Ruby’s head shot up at a sound from outside the door. It opened to reveal Lady Van Vernon, hooded cloak bundled in her arms. She beckoned to them. “You don’t have long. Elspeth will be back as soon as it’s ready.”

Erin rose to her knees and reached for Garrett to help him up. He seemed to be moving a little easier than before. Reassuring, until she caught a glimpse of the tightly drawn lines of pain around his eyes. Lady Van Vernon circled them, inspecting Garrett with narrowed eyes.

“That scruffy hood, and the mask. Get rid of them. Gloves too. Your hands are filthy—haven’t you lowlifes even heard of soap?”

Garrett looked down at his hands then shot her a glare as he folded them in close. Erin sighed and set about pulling his hood down as carefully as she could, anxious to avoid aggravating anything. His hair was sticky and matted with blood. Lady Van Vernon’s cloak was going to be a bloodied mess by the time they were done with it. She just hoped none of it would soak through the fabric until after they made it to the carriage. A fistful of bedsheet strips blotted the worst of it even with Garrett hissing at her, but she didn’t dare do more in case she started it bleeding again.

Getting Garrett’s gloves and bracers away from him was more difficult with him reluctant to cooperate, but he was in no state to fight her over it. Mask and gloves were easily rolled and tucked away in her pouch. His bracers she hooked around her blackjack sheath. She didn’t relish the thought of walking with them knocking against her leg, but it wouldn’t be for long. He could have them back once they made it to the carriage. Garrett’s bow and quiver posed more of a problem. She had no means of hiding them that might stand up to even a cursory glance. She’d just have to stash them somewhere and retrieve them another night. _A thief never returns to the scene of a crime._ Garrett was never going to forgive her.

Draping Lady Van Vernon’s hooded cloak over Garrett’s shoulders should have felt like more of a victory for how much effort it had cost them. Lined in velvet and trimmed with ermine, it was a far cry from his usual outfit. Erin drew the billowing folds of blue-grey sealskin close around him and tied the silk ribbon at his throat. But all she could focus on was the hard little knot of anxiety in her stomach. Everything would fall apart if they even so much as breathed wrong. She wasn’t used to having to plan every move so carefully. She pushed the thought away. As long as Garrett kept his hood up and his head down they might just survive this. Ruby pawed at the cloak trying to catch Garrett’s attention but he was too preoccupied with glaring suspiciously at Lady Van Vernon to pay her any mind.

The knock when it came was soft and apologetic. Lady Van Vernon waved them back before answering it, but Erin crept as far as the bathroom door and peered out to watch. She didn’t think they had to worry about betrayal, not with the letter still safely in her possession, but it wouldn’t hurt to make certain.

“The carriage is ready, my Lady.”

“Tell the coachman I will be a moment.” Lady Van Vernon dismissed Elspeth with a flick of perfectly manicured fingers.

Erin hovered nearby as Garrett took an uncertain step, poised to catch him if he wavered. Everything depended on him now. If he couldn’t make it to the carriage under his own steam the guards would smell a rat. They’d be caught out in the open with no chance of escape. Lady Van Vernon was waiting in the doorway, arms folded. She stepped forward to block their exit.

“I believe you have something of mine.”

Erin fished the letter out of her pocket. It was decidedly the worse for wear by now, crumpled and stained bloody around the edges. She held it out, but snatched her hand back at the last moment. “What’s to stop you raising the alarm as soon as we leave you alone?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, girl.” Lady Van Vernon reached for the letter. “Unless you intend keeping me prisoner in my own home, you will simply have to trust me.”

Erin chewed at the inside of her lip, gaze darting around the bathroom as if the answer were hiding somewhere behind the tiles. As unexpectedly helpful as Lady Van Vernon had proved, Erin held no doubts that the instant she had possession of the letter she’d betray them. Her eye fell on the slumbering guard. She was certain Lady Van Vernon planned to blame the guard’s predicament on them. Now that she thought about it, that wasn’t such a foolish idea. Garrett stared after her as she barged past Lady Van Vernon and flitted into the bedroom to rummage through the wardrobe drawers.

“Get your filthy hands out of there!”

“Shut up and turn around.” A fistful of silk stockings would be more than enough. Erin took hold of Lady Van Vernon’s dainty wrists and set about tying them together.

Once she was done Erin wadded the few remaining stockings into a ball. Murderous blue eyes bored into her, but Lady Van Vernon put up no resistance to being silenced. Judging by the pained whimpering she’d probably tied the stockings much too tightly, but it wasn’t like Garrett could have done better. He’d never shown her how to do this right—anyone who came close to seeing them received a blackjack to the head for their troubles. Tying up a prisoner never came into the equation. Keeping a tight grip on Lady Van Vernon’s arm, she led her over to the circle of chairs before the fire and pushed her to sit.

Erin held the letter out between thumb and forefinger for Lady Van Vernon to inspect. With exaggerated care she stepped over to the fire and dropped it in. They both watched as flames licked over the parchment until nothing remained but ash flakes dusting the coals.

“Satisfied?”

Lady Van Vernon blinked at her a moment, then nodded. She rose to her feet and headed toward the bathroom. Erin stared after her in confusion. What was she—no, wait. It made sense. It would take longer for the servants to find her in there. Erin helped her to lie down on the tiles beside the guard before crouching to tie her ankles. It was better this way. It would stop her raising the alarm, but also deflect suspicion that she’d helped them escape.

Brushing dust off her skirts, Erin made her way over to the door where Garrett waited, leaning against the wall with his head clutched in his hands. With a hand on his elbow she tugged at him gently. “Time to go. We need to move before someone comes to find out what’s taking her so long.”

Garrett let out a shuddering breath before pushing away from the wall. He stumbled a step before catching himself. Erin grabbed his shoulder until she was certain he’d found his balance. The sour knot tightened in her stomach.

“Once we leave you need to do this yourself. I can’t help you if anyone’s watching.”

A slow nod. Garrett dropped his head forward until the shadows of the hood obscured his face. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best they could hope for. Just so long as no-one got too close.


End file.
